Huskers Hang on to Stop Sooners

The No. 6 Nebraska wrestling won four of the first five matches and held on to defeat eighth-ranked Oklahoma, 16-15, Saturday night at NormanHigh School in Norman, Okla. 

 

Both teams won five matches in a thrilling dual that saw three matches go to overtime, but it was the first match, Dominick Moyer’s 12-0 major decision victory over OU’s Trey Blakely that would prove to be the difference in the dual.

 

From there, No. 6 Matt Murray knocked off second-ranked 141-pound wrestler Teyon Ware, 3-1 in overtime.  Murray clinched the win with a takedown with 15 seconds to go in the first overtime period. 

 

After fourth-ranked Matt Stornilo won at 149 pounds for Oklahoma, the Huskers answered with a pair of victories.  At 157 pounds, 13th-ranked B.J. Wright defeated Charles Jones, 7-5.  Wright had a 5-3 lead over Jones entering the third period, but Jones earned a reversal of Wright with 16 seconds left in the match to tie the match.  Wright notched an escape one second later, and earned a bonus point for his 1:41 riding time advantage.  No. 9 165-pound wrestler Jacob Klein followed with an 8-2 triumph over OU’s Wes Roberts.

 

The Sooners would answer with two wins of their own, at 174 and 184 pounds.  Eighth-ranked 174-pound wrestler E.K. Waldhaus defeated Marc Harwood, 6-1.  At 184 pounds, 16th-ranked Justin Dyer upset second-ranked Travis Pascoe, 13-11, in overtime.  Pascoe had a 11-10 lead with 30 seconds left in the match, but Dyer escaped 16 seconds later, and notched a takedown 12 seconds into the overtime period.  The loss breaks Pascoe’s 21-match winning streak.

 

B.J. Padden, the 17th-ranked 197-pound wrestler would answer with an upset of his own, defeating 15th-ranked Joel Flaggert, 3-0.  With the win, Nebraska held a 16-9 lead in the dual.  The Huskers held on, despite losing the heavyweight and 125-pound matches by decision.

 

The Huskers are now 17-2-1, and will close their regular season with duals against Air Force and IowaState in Lincoln on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

 

#6 Nebraska 19, #8 Oklahoma 18

133-Dominick Moyer (NU) by major dec. over Trey Blakely (OU), 12-0

141-#6 Matt Murray (NU) by dec. over #2 Teyon Ware (OU), 3-1 (OT)

149-#4 Matt Stornilo (OU) by dec. over David Ingalls (NU), 4-1

157-#13 B.J. Wright (NU) by dec. over Charles Jones (OU), 7-5

165-#9 Jacob Klein (NU) by dec. over Wes Roberts (OU), 8-2

174-#8 E.K. Waldhaus (OU) by dec. over Marc Harwood (NU), 3-0

184-#16 Justin Dyer (OU) by dec. over #2 Travis Pascoe (NU), 13-11 (OT)

197-#17 B.J. Padden (NU) by dec. over #15 Joel Flaggert (OU), 3-0

HWT-Joel Tapler (OU) by dec. over Mitch Manstedt (NU), 3-0

125-#1 Sam Hazewinkel (OU) by dec. over #8 Matt Keller (NU), 4-2