Minnesota takes dual from Jackrabbits

Friday, November 17

Brookings, S.D.

7 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Minnesota

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen

11/17/2017 10:18:00 PM | Wrestling

By: Jason Hove

Tenth-ranked Minnesota won six matches, including two by major decision, to go on to defeat No. 14 South Dakota State, 20-12, in a college wrestling dual Friday night at Frost Arena.

With the win, the Golden Gophers improved to 2-0 in duals. SDSU was wrestling its first dual of the season.

Minnesota claimed the first match of the night in the 184-pound division as Owen Webster scored a 6-2 decision over the Jackrabbits' Martin Mueller.

The Jackrabbits drew even with an overtime victory at 197 pounds. Senior Brady Ayers, who was wrestling up a weight class in place of eighth-ranked Nate Rotert, was taken down early in his match against Bobby Steveson and trailed by a 3-1 count entering the third period. Ayers picked up a stalling point and a late takedown to tie the bout at 6 in the closing seconds of regulation. Ayers sent the crowd of 3,063 – the second largest for a dual in program history -- into a frenzy 13 seconds into the extra session with a takedown to pull out an 8-6 win.

SDSU's momentum, however, didn't last as the Golden Gophers took control of the dual by winning four of the next five matches. Rylee Streifel posted a 4-1 decision over Alex Macki at heavyweight, and fifth-ranked Ethan Lizak notched an 11-0 major decision over true freshman Connor Brown. Minnesota later received another major decision win from seventh-ranked Tommy Thorn over Henry Pohlmeyer at 141 pounds and 149-pounder Hunter Marko held off the Jackrabbits' Colten Carlson, 3-2, in the 149-pound division.

Each of the Jackrabbits' three ranked wrestlers who competed Friday won by decision, including two over ranked opponents. At 133 pounds, top-ranked Seth Gross fended off a late challenge from sixth-ranked Mitch McKee to win, 9-4. Gross recorded a takedown 40 seconds into the match and carried a 5-0 lead into the final period. McKee recorded a pair of third-period takedowns before Gross scored on a reversal and added another point for a riding-time advantage to make the final score 9-4.

The 157-pound matchup featured 10^th-ranked Jake Short of Minnesota 14^th-ranked Luke Zilverberg for the Jackrabbits. Zilverberg was the aggressor from the outset as he notched an early takedown to build a two-minute riding-time advantage en route to a 5-2 decision.

David Kocer, ranked 10^th at 174 pounds, closed the dual with a 6-2 decision over Chris Pfarr.

Minnesota sealed the dual victory with an 8-5 decision by ninth-ranked Nick Wanzek over Zach Carlson.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits continue dual action by traveling to fifth-ranked Arizona State on Nov. 26. The match is slated for a noon Mountain (1 p.m. Central) start in Tempe, Arizona. The dual is scheduled to be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.

#10 MINNESOTA 20, #14 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 12
184: Owen Webster (MINN) dec. Martin Mueller (SDSU), 6-2
197: Brady Ayers (SDSU) dec. Bobby Steveson (MINN), 8-6 [SV-1]
285: Rylee Streifel (MINN) dec. Alex Macki (SDSU), 4-1
125: #5 Ethan Lizak (MINN) major dec. Connor Brown (SDSU), 11-0
133: #1 Seth Gross (SDSU) dec. #6 Mitch McKee (MINN), 9-4
141: #7 Tommy Thorn (MINN) major dec. Henry Pohlmeyer (SDSU), 13-4
149: Hunter Marko (MINN) dec. Colten Carlson (SDSU), 3-2
157: #14 Luke Zilverberg (SDSU) dec. #10 Jake Short (MINN), 5-2
165: #9 Nick Wanzek (MINN) dec. Zach Carlson (SDSU), 8-5
174: #10 David Kocer (SDSU) dec. Chris Pfarr (MINN), 6-2

-GoJacks.com-