Husker Wrestling Posts Commanding 25-7 Win Over Michigan

Lincoln, Neb. - Behind six Top 10 victories and a major decision, the No. 5 Nebraska wrestling team overpowered No. 9 Michigan 25-7 in front of 4,958 fans, the third most in Husker wrestling history, on Friday night. 

With the defeat, the Huskers improve to 11-1 on the season and 6-1 in the conference, while the Wolverines fall to 6-4 (4-3 Big Ten). 

A ranked match opened the dual against Michigan, with No. 13 Caleb Smith taking on No. 6 Michael DeAugustino at 125. DeAugustino earned a takedown late in the first period, but Smith quickly escaped. An escape for DeAugustino in Period 2 brought the score to 4-1 entering the third. Smith opened Period 3 with a quick reversal and four nearfall points to take the lead ande secure the 8-5 decision. 

At 133, No. 19 Jacob Van Dee wrestled No. 4 Dylan Ragusin. After a scoreless first period, Van Dee recorded an escape and a one-point penalty for Ragusin’s locked hands. After starting Period 3 on the bottom, Ragusin got a reversal to even the score at 2-2. With four seconds left on the clock, Van Dee managed an escape and took the 3-2 win, his first over a top-five opponent in his career. 

With the Huskers leading 6-0, No. 7 Brock Hardy took the mat against No. 10 Sergio Lemly at 141. After an action-filled first two periods, Lemly held an 8-6 lead entering Period 3. Hardy battled back with a couple of takedowns to end up with his fourth-consecutive win, 13-9.

At 149, No. 1 Ridge Lovett faced No. 6 Austin Gomez. Lovett came out hot with seven points in Period 1. After choosing to start on top in Period 2, Lovett tacked on another two points with a nearfall and clocked over four minutes of riding time. A takedown for Gomez in Period 3 wasn’t enough, as Lovett took the 11-4 decision and the fourth-straight Top 10 win for the Huskers.

No. 7 Peyton Robb wrestled No. 10 Will Lewan at 157. An escape for Lewan and a stall point awarded to Robb marked the only points entering Period 3. After an escape for Robb, he was able to hold on for the 2-1 victory, extending the Husker lead to 15-0. 

After a brief intermission and five-straight ranked victories, No. 16 Antrell Taylor met No. 10 Cameron Amine at 165. After a scoreless first period, Taylor elected to start on the bottom in Period 2 and was awarded an escape to take the 1-0 lead. Amine retaliated with an escape of his own to even the score at 1-1 in Period 3. With the score still tied at the end of regulation time and the first sudden victory overtime, the two entered the tiebreakers. They each scored an escape point, but Taylor secured the riding time point and the 3-2 decision. 

At 174, Bubba Wilson took on No. 3 Shane Griffith. Griffith recorded the first point with an escape in Period 2. Both wrestled hard in the third period, but no points were awarded, giving Griffith the 1-0 victory, and putting the first points on the board for Michigan. 

With the Huskers still leading 18-3 in the match, No. 3 Lenny Pinto wrestled No. 18 Jaden Bullock at 184. A pair of takedowns in Period 1 gave Pinto a quick 6-2 lead. After tacking on another takedown in the second period, Pinto held Bullock off and secured the 10-4 victory. 

No. 13 Silas Allred went up against Bobby Striggow at 197. Allred started with a takedown in the first period. Striggow came back with an escape in Period 2 but was met with another takedown from Allred. After another pair of takedowns in the third, Allred notched the first major decision of the match, winning 14-2. 

In the final bout of the night, heavyweights Nash Hutmacher and No. 6 Lucas Davison took the mat. After a scoreless Period 1, Davison struck first with an escape and a takedown in the second. After another takedown in Period 3, Davison earned the 7-0 win. 

Up next, the Huskers will wrap up the regular season on the road, as they travel to Penn State on Sunday, Feb. 18, and Arizona State on Sunday, Feb. 25. 

 

No. 4 Nebraska 25, No. 9 Michigan 7 

125 - No. 13 Caleb Smith dec. No. 6 Michael DeAugustino (MICH) 8-5 (NEB 3, MICH 0)

133 - No. 19 Jacob Van Dee dec. No. 4 Dylan Ragusin (MICH) 3-2 (NEB 6, MICH 0)

141 - No. 7 Brock Hardy dec. No. 10 Sergio Lemly (MICH) 13-9 (NEB 9, MICH 0)

149 - No. 1 Ridge Lovett dec. No. 6 Austin Gomez (MICH) 11-4 (NEB 12, MICH 0)

157 - No. 7 Peyton Robb dec. No. 10 Will Lewan (MICH) 2-1 (NEB 15, MICH 0)

165 - No. 16 Antrell Taylor dec. No. 10 Cameron Amine (MICH) 3-2 TB-2 (NEB 18, MICH 0)

174 - No. 3 Shane Griffith (MICH) dec. No. 33 Bubba Wilson 1-0 (NEB 18, MICH 3)

184 - No. 3 Lenny Pinto dec. No. 18 Jaden Bullock (MICH) 10-4 (NEB 21, MICH 3)

197 - No. 13 Silas Allred major dec. Bobby Striggow (MICH) 14-2 (NEB 25, MICH 3)

HWT - No. 6 Lucas Davison major (MICH) dec. Nash Hutmacher 8-2 (NEB 25, MICH 7)