The sixth-ranked <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska wrestling team picked up wins in seven of 10 weight classes en route to a 31-15 victory over Air Force Friday at the Devaney Center Track in front of 890 fans.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
NU started with a 6-0 lead, as Kyle Gubbels’s opponent at 174 pounds was unable to make the weight requirement. Second-ranked Travis Pascoe rebounded from his first loss of the season last Saturday to post a 17-7 major decision victory over Luke Lefever.
Air Force would win its first match of the night at 197 pounds, as Brenden McLean upset 16th-ranked B.J. Padden, 6-4. After that, the Huskers won four of the next five matches, earning bonus points in three of the four triumphs to put the dual away.
The string started with Jon May’s 11-2 major decision victory over Trey McLean at heavyweight. May ran off the first six points in that match and never looked back. After Jeremy Emerson collected a win by forfeit at 125 pounds, Dominick Moyer ran off six unanswered points in the third period of his match at 133 pounds to defeat Matt Benza, 13-7. With the match tied at seven, Moyer, who elected to start the period down, earned a reversal 16 seconds into the third frame. After riding Benza for much of the period, Moyer earned a three-point near fall with 26 seconds to go in the match. Moyer earned a bonus point for his 2:11 riding time advantage.
After a setback at 141 pounds, Nebraska’s Dusty Spaulding dominated Zach Peterson, defeating the Air Force wrestler by technical fall, 15-0, in the first period. Spaulding took down Peterson 27 seconds into the period and registered five near-falls over the next 2:33 of the match.
Nebraska had a 28-9 lead in the dual before Anthony Dorward pinned NU’s Chad Johnson 4:17 into their 157-pound match, but Jacob Klein ended the evening with a win for Nebraska, as he defeated Beau Tresemer, 8-2. Klein scored the first five points of the match, and never looked back.
“This dual allowed us the opportunity to wrestle as many guys as we could,” said head coach Mark Manning.
With the win, Nebraska is now 18-2-1 entering their final dual of the season. The Huskers take on second-ranked IowaState on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. at the NU Coliseum.
“It should be a really great dual,” Manning said. “We’re going to have to be mentally ready for a tough battle.”
#6 Nebraska 31, Air Force 15
Devaney Center Track, Lincoln, Neb.
Feb. 18, 2005
Official: Chuck Yagla
Attendance: 890
174-Kyle Gubbels (NU) wins by forfeit
184-#2 Travis Pascoe (NU) by major dec. over Luke Lefever (AF), 17-7
197-Brenden McLean (AF) by dec. over #16 B.J. Padden (NU), 6-4
HWT-Jon May (NU) by major dec. over Trey McLean (AF), 11-2
125-Jeremy Emerson (NU) wins by forfeit
133-Dominick Moyer (NU) by dec. over Matt Benza (AF), 13-7
141-Matt Crippes (AF) by dec. over Derek Pirner (NU), 4:19
149-Dusty Spaulding (NU) by tech. fall over Zach Peterson (AF), 15-0
157-Anthony Dorward (AF) by fall over Chad Johnson (NU), 4:17
165-Jacob Klein (NU) by dec. over Beau Tresemer (AF), 8-2