NEB WRE: Huskers Drop Dual to #2 Iowa

Lincoln, Neb. - Jacob Van Dee earned an upset and Lenny Pinto tallied a major decision, but it was not enough as the #4 Nebraska wrestling team fell to Iowa on Friday night, 22-10. 

The Huskers started at 125 where No. 7 Caleb Smith faced Iowa’s No. 5 Drake Ayala. Smith battled and scored three escapes, but Ayala scored two takedowns en route to the 7-3 decision. 

At 133, Van Dee upset No. 7 Brody Teske to even the team score 3-3. Striking first with a takedown, Van Dee led 3-1 entering the second period. He grabbed an escape and takedown in the second period. Teske tallied three escapes in the second and third periods, but Van Dee secured another takedown in the final period to secure the 10-4 decision.

No. 7 Brock Hardy fell to top-ranked Real Woods at 141 with an 8-2 decision. Woods scored seven-straight points to take the lead from the whistle. Hardy earned a point from Woods stalling and an escape point in the third period, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Woods.

No. 1 Ridge Lovett topped No. 12 Caleb Rathjen at 149 with a 6-0 decision. He used an escape, a stalling point against Rathjen and a takedown to cruise to the team’s second win of the night, tying the score 6-6.

In a top-three matchup, No. 3 Peyton Robb dropped the 157 match to No. 2 Jared Franek. Robb held the 4-3 advantage midway through the final period, when Franek managed a takedown to take the bout in a 5-4 decision.

At 165, No. 19 Antrell Taylor scored a pair of escapes, but fell to No. 7 Michael Caliendo, 8-3. Stringing together two takedowns,  an escape and the riding time point, Caliendo’s helped extend Iowa’s lead to 12-6.

Bubba Wilson (174) took the early lead over Patrick Kennedy with a takedown, but Kennedy answered with a takedown and escape. Wilson used an escape to tie it up at four a piece entering the third period. With a takedown and escape, Kennedy took the 9-4 decision.

No. 3 Pinto got the Huskers back on track at 184, grabbing bonus points with a 17-5 major decision over Aiden Riggins. The wrestlers remained scoreless in the first period, but Pinto jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the second period with a pair of takedowns. In the third period, Pinto erupted for three takedowns, only answered by three escapes from Riggins.

Then, No. 11 Silas Allred faced Iowa’s Patrick Kennedy (197) with Iowa leading 15-1 overall. Glazier scored a takedown in the first two periods and an escape in the third to secure the 11-2 major decision and the overall team victory.

Rounding out the evening was Nash Hutmacher battling Bradley Hill at heavyweight. Hutmacher scored first with an escape, but it was not enough as Hill grabbed the 4-1 decision for the 22-10 Hawkeye win. 

Up next, the Huskers hit the road to face Minnesota on Friday, Jan. 19 at 9 p.m. (CT) before they return home to host Purdue on Sunday, Jan. 21. The dual at Minnesota will be televised on BTN and the matchup with the Boilermakers will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. 

#2 Iowa 22, #4 Nebraska 10 

125: #5 Drake Ayala (IA) dec. #7 Caleb Smith 7-3 (NEB 0, IA 3)

133: Jacob Van Dee dec. #7 Brody Teske (IA) 10-4 (NEB 3, IA 3)

141: #1 Real Woods (IA) dec. #7 Brock Hardy 8-2 (NEB 2, IA 6) 

149: #1 Ridge Lovett dec. #12 Caleb Rathjen (IA) 6-0 (NEB 6, IA 6)

157: #2 Jared Franek (IA) dec. #3 Peyton Robb 5-4 (NEB 6, IA 9)

165: #7 Michael Caliendo (IA) dec. #19 Antrell Taylor 8-3 (NEB 6, IA 12)

174: Patrick Kennedy (IA) dec. #30 Bubba Wilson 9-5 (NEB 6, IA 15)

184: #3 Lenny Pinto major dec. Aiden Riggins (IA) 17-5 (NEB 10, IA 15)

197: #16 Zach Glazier (IA) major dec. #11 Silas Alred 11-2 (NEB 10, IA 19)

HWT: Bradley Hill (IA) dec. Nash Hutmacher 4-1 (NEB 10, IA 22)