Loper Wrestling Falls at #10 Northern Iowa, 35-8

 Junior Crew Howard and sophomore Zach Ourada picked up major decisions, but 10th-ranked Northern Iowa claimed a 35-8 win over Nebraska Kearney Saturday night in Cedar Falls.

The Lopers (3-2), ranked fifth in NCAA Division II, fell to D1 No. 20 Arkansas-Little Rock, 38-10, last month. The final D1 dual of the year comes next Friday night at No. 4 Nebraska.

Both Howard (Clarinda, Ia.) and Ourada (Omaha Skutt) earned UNK's lone wins against the UALR Trojans. Tonight, the third-ranked Ourada had a takedown and a three-point near fall in the opening period to blank UNI senior Kyle Gollohofer, 8-0. In the last dual of the night, the top-ranked Howard moved to 10-0 by having takedowns in each period to roll by a 15-3 margin over Panther senior Adam Ahrendsen. He now has three wins vs. D1 competition and, overall, eight bonus point wins.

At 133 pounds, Kansas redshirt junior Hector Serratos was up 5-4 heading into the third period against redshirt freshman Garret Rinken. However, Rinken got an escape to force overtime and then recorded a takedown to win. A weight higher, Colorado redshirt sophomore Joseph Airola battled true freshman Carter Freeman but lost by 4-2 count. Airola escaped twice with Freeman using an early takedown to win. Finally, UNI's other victories were three majors, two falls and a tech fall.

Next Friday in Lincoln, the Lopers face No. 8 Augustana at 2 p.m. and then the 'Huskers at 5:30 p.m. The dual against UNL will air on the BIG 10 Plus Network.