UNK Wrestling: Lopers Down Grand View
Kearney, Neb. – The seventh-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team used two overtime victories and a big effort from redshirt sophomore Jackson Kinsella to down NAIA powerhouse Grand View, 18-17, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.
The Lopers (17-3) push their win streak to 11 in a row and snap a two-match losing streak to the Vikings (10-2). GV, ranked number one in the NAIA, has won 10 of the last 11 NAIA National titles and 135 of its last 138 duals. UNK joins Iowa State (Nov. 2022) and Life U., Ga. (Jan. 2023) as teams to down the Vikings.
"On paper, if you looked at it objectively, it was probably going to be something like what we saw tonight … a five-five split," said UNK head coach Dalton Jensen. "Bonus points were going to be important and then it would likely come down to 197 and heavyweight where they had two returning national champs. We split those two matches."
Each team won five matches with the Lopers having three majors and two decisions in sudden victory and GV recording a tech fall and four decisions. UNK was down 14-7 before winning three straight in the upper weights to move ahead for good.
To keep the Blue & Gold within striking distance, redshirt sophomore Nic Stoltenberg (Omaha Skutt) used a takedown 20 seconds into sudden victory to win, 4-1, at 157 pounds. He tied things up at one early in the third thanks to an escape. Fourth-ranked Trenton Munoz (Santa Clarita, Calif.) used this same formula to beat fourth-ranked Alex Reynolds two classes higher. While a Munoz second-period takedown was waved off, he got one with 35 seconds left in sudden victory to also win by a 4-1 count.
"Anytime you look at a tight dual between established and elite-level programs, it comes down to one takedown matches like those two," said Jensen. "We snuck away with them tonight."
Next, redshirt senior Jacobi Deal (Durham, N.C.) continued the momentum when he majored senior Caleb Swalla, 15-4, at 184-punds. Deal racked up 1:06 in riding time as well as four takedowns. Finally, Kinsella (Creston, Ia.) majored defending NAIA National Champ and third-ranked Owen Braungardt, 11-2. The tally included 2:12 in riding time and takedowns in each period.
"It's just a testament to the development Jackson has had and the time he's put into it over the past year," said Jensen. "He beat us 10-0 (in the dual) last year and then Jackson turns around and majors him this year. So, it shows where Jackson's future may be headed."
Grand View could've tied things at 18, forcing a tie-breaker scenario, but fifth-ranked Crew Howard (Clarinda, Ia.) battled defending NAIA National Champ Greg Hagan before falling, 5-2.
UNK heads to Fort Hays State next weekend.
