University of Northern Iowa
Iowa
No. 1 Iowa Fends Off Panther Wrestlers, 30-12
12/11/2008 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa wrestling team dropped a 30-12 decision to the No. 1-ranked University of Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday in the McLeod Center. The Panthers won four matches, while the Hawkeyes scored six victories in front of 2,315 fans.
UNI began the night with a win at heavyweight as redshirt freshman Christian Brantley tallied a 6-2 victory over Dan Erekson. Brantley gave up the first takedown of the match but battled back to knot it at 2-2 following two periods. Brantley took his first lead of the match with an escape and a penalty point with 1:42 left. Brantley then clinched the win with a takedown with only 18 seconds left in the match.
The Hawkeyes then rolled up four straight wins to take a commanding 18-3 lead in the dual. Charlie Falck pinned sophomore Josh Baldridge, 17-7. Alex Tsirtsis scored a major decision over redshirt freshman Trent Washington at 141 and Brent Metcalf tallied a four-point technical fall at 149 over junior Charlie Ettelson.
The Panthers bounced back strong after the intermission by taking a pair of matches at 157 and 165. Junior Tyson Reiner scored three takedowns en route to an 8-2 victory over Matt Ballweg. Reiner's win pulled UNI to within 18-6 in the dual.
The match of the evening occurred at 165 when senior Moza Fay hung on for a 3-2 win over Ryan Morningstar. Fay improved to 6-0 on the season as he earned all three of his points in the second period. Fay notched an escape and then a takedown with only five seconds left in the second to take a 3-2 lead. Fay then battled and kept Morningstar at bay in the third period. Morningstar was in on a leg as time expired but no points were awarded by referee Mike Allen.
The Hawks added a fall at 174 when Jay Borschel pinned sophomore Jarion Beets in 4:10. Beets garnered the first takedown of the match but failed to score more than an escape the rest of the way.
Iowa's Phillip Keddy was awarded a forfeit at 184 pounds.
UNI senior Andrew Anderson finished off the night with a 10-5 win at 197 pounds over Iowa's Rick Loera. Anderson took a 2-1 lead after one period and built upon it in the second as he scored a takedown and an escape. Anderson added two more takedowns in the third and tallied a riding time point for the five-point win.
UNI will be back in action Saturday against the Wisconsin Badgers at noon in Chula Vista, Wis., as a part of the day-long Chula Vista Resort's Dells Dual Wrestling Classic.
FINAL RESULTS: Iowa 30, UNI 12
285 – Christian Brantley (UNI) dec. Dan Erekson (IOWA), 6-2
125 –Charlie Falck (IOWA) pinned Caleb Flores (UNI), 4:07
133 – Daniel Dennis (IOWA) maj. dec. Josh Baldridge (UNI), 17-7
141 – Alex Tsirtsis (IOWA) maj. dec. Trent Washington (UNI), 14-2
149 – Brent Metcalf (IOWA) tech. fall Charlie Ettelson (UNI), 24-9
157 – Tyson Reiner (UNI) dec. Matt Ballweg (IOWA), 8-2
165 – Moza Fay (UNI) dec. Ryan Morningstar (IOWA), 3-2
174 – Jay Borschel (IOWA) pinned Jarion Beets (UNI), 4:10
184 – Phillip Keddy (IOWA) won by forfeit
197 –.Andrew Anderson (UNI) dec. Rick Loera (IOWA), 10-5
Attendance: 2,315
