The Panthers not only won all 10 bouts, but won the takedown battle, 34-4. UNI improved to 6-4 overall and 2-0 in the WWC. The Panthers' 42-point margin was the largest in a shutout since a 1991 match when the Panthers scored a 48-0 victory over Ithaca.
Senior Andrew Anderson (19-6 overall) got the Panthers started at 197 pounds with a 12-5 victory over Air Force's Jim Ciccone. Anderson used three first-period takedowns to go up 6-2 after three minutes of action. Anderson added two more takedowns in the third period to go along with an escape and a riding time point for the victory.
Redshirt freshman Christian Brantley put the Panthers on top 8-0 in the dual following a technical fall over Air Force's Josh Larson. Brantley put on a takedown clinic as he notched 10 takedowns in the match. Brantley was able to secure a two-point nearfall in the third period to gain an additional bonus point for the technical fall. Brantley got the win at the 6:07 mark with a 25-9 triumph. Brantley's victory pushed his team-leading win total to 22 on the season.
UNI redshirt freshman Cruse Aarhus recorded his first collegiate dual victory at 125 pounds with a 6-3 decision over AFA's Andrew Zwirlein. Aarhus took an early 2-0 lead, but fell behind 3-2 following a takedown from Zwirlein. Aarhus gained an escape prior to the end of the first period to knot the match at 3-3. Aarhus took his second lead of the match with an escape in the second period, 4-3. Aarhus put the match away with a third-period takedown to earn the 6-3 win. Aarhus' win gave the Panthers an 11-0 lead in the dual with the Falcons.
Freshman Steven Fitzgerald then followed Aarhus' lead and notched his first collegiate dual victory as well with a fall at 133 pounds. Fitzgerald had taken a 5-0 lead with a takedown and three-point nearfall in the first period. Fitzgerald got the fall early in the second period from the top position. Fitzgerald improved to 3-4 on the season.
The Panthers extended the dual lead to 23-0 following a first-period fall from 141-pounder Trent Washington. Washington tallied a pair of takedowns before earning the fall over AFA's Juancarlos Pino at the 2:26 mark. Washington's win moved his season mark to 7-5.
UNI's Brett Robbins used seven takedowns and three nearfalls en route to a 23-8 technical fall over the Falcons' Alec Williams at 149 pounds. Robbins' win put UNI on top of Air Force in the dual, 28-0.
At 157 pounds, UNI's Trevor Kittleson overcame a second-period deficit to score an 8-3 victory over AFA's Joseph Stafford. Kittleson trailed 3-2 just into the second period, but notched a reversal and did not look back. The Panthers added an escape and a takedown to go along with a riding time point for the victory. Kittleson's win improved UNI's advantage in the dual to 31-0.
Senior Moza Fay continued the Panthers' assault on a shutout with a 10-2 major decision over AFA's Stephen Crozier at 165 pounds. Fay opened up a 9-0 lead in the match with Crozier before allowing the Falcon on the board late in the match. Fay secured more than five minutes riding time in the bout. Fay's win moved his season record to 19-2.
Junior Scott Hazen had an impressive effort against last year's Western Wrestling Conference 174-pound champion in Air Force's Tyler French. Hazen notched a 9-1 major decision over French. Hazen scored on two takedowns, a two-point nearfall, a reversal and a riding time point. Hazen's win moved him to 11-8 on the year.
Senior Alex Dolly closed out the dual with a thrilling 6-4 triumph over AFA's Sterling Tribble at 184 pounds. Dolly led 4-1 after a reversal early in the second period, but Tribble tied it up at 4-4 in the third period with a takedown. Dolly was credited with a reversal with five seconds left in the match to earn the decision, 6-4.
The Panthers will return home to take on the Oklahoma State University Cowboys on Sunday at 7 p.m. in the McLeod Center. The match will be broadcast live on 99.3 FM (Y99.3 – Waverly) and on the web as a part of the UNI Panthers GAMEDAY Online.
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