Huskers Down Wisconsin, 28-9

MADISON, Wis. (KOLN) – The Huskers earned three bonus-point victories and won eight bouts overall as the No. 6 Nebraska wrestling team defeated No. 21 Wisconsin 28-9 on Sunday afternoon.

The win marked the Huskers’ fourth-straight conference victory as the team improved to 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten. With the defeat, the Badgers fell to 6-4 on the season (0-3 Big Ten).

The dual against the Badgers opened with No. 12 Caleb Smith facing No. 3 Eric Barnett at 125. Smith earned an escape in both the first and second periods, but it was not enough as Barnett used a takedown, an escape and the riding time point to earn the 5-3 decision.

At 133, No. 19 Jacob Van Dee faced Wisconsin’s Nicolar Rivera. Van Dee came out quickly and got the early takedown to lead 3-1 after the first period. With over two minutes of riding time, Van Dee tallied the escape to open Period Three and Rivera responded with a takedown, but Van Dee earned another escape and the riding time point for the 6-4 decision.

With the match tied 3-3, No. 7 Brock Hardy wrestled Felix Lettini at 141. Hardy collected two early takedowns and over a minute and a half of riding time after the first period. Hardy then added three more takedowns and four nearfall points to claim his fourth tech. fall of the season. 19-4.

At 149, No. 1 Ridge Lovett met Wisconsin’s Julian George and tallied his 19th-straight victory and sixth fall on the season. Lovett opened the match with a pair of takedowns before locking the cradle and securing the pin to put the Huskers up 14-3.

For the second-straight dual, Ethan Stiles got the call at 157 and faced Luke Mechler. The pair wrestled a scoreless opening three minutes before Stiles got on the board with an escape to open Period Two. Stiles scored the match-winning takedown in the final period to secure the 4-1 decision and his first career Big Ten dual win.

After a brief intermission, No. 18 Antrell Taylor wrestled No. 5 Dean Hamiti in his second-straight ranked matchup. Taylor scored an escape in the first and third period, but it was not enough as Taylor fell by decision, 7-2.

Up next, No. 33 Bubba Wilson faced No. 12 Max Maylor in the dual’s third ranked bout of the day. Despite a pair of escapes by Wilson, Maylor came out on top 4-2 to earn Wisconsin’s second-straight victory.

With the 17-9 team lead, No. 3 Lenny Pinto met Wisconsin’s No. 16 Shane Liegel at 184. Pinto opened the bout with two takedowns and tallied an escape in Period Two to claim the 7-2 decision and his sixth dual win of the season.

At 197, No. 15 Silas Allred earned his third-straight tech. fall victory with the 19-4 win over Josh Otto. Allred used six takedowns and an escape to secure his seventh dual win on the season and improve to 16-4 overall.

In the last match of the day and with the overall win secured for the Huskers, Nash Hutmacher faced Gannon Rosenfeld at heavyweight. After a lot of action in the opening two periods, Hutmacher led 13-11 with two minutes remaining. Hutmacher then held steady and secured the 19-14 win and his first Big Ten dual victory.

Up next, the Huskers return home to host Illinois on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. (CT). Action will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.

No. 6 Nebraska 28, No. 21 Wisconsin 9

125: No. 3 Eric Barnett (WIS) dec. No. 12 Caleb Smith 5-3 (WIS 3, NEB 0)

133: No. 19 Jacob Van Dee dec. Nicolar Rivera 6-4 (NEB 3, WIS 3)

141: No. 7 Brock Hardy tech. fall Felix Lettini (WIS) 19-4 (NEB 8, WIS 3)

149: No. 1 Ridge Lovett pinned Julian George (WIS) 2:34 (NEB 14, WIS 3)

157: Ethan Stiles dec. Luke Mechler (WIS) 4-1 (NEB 17, WIS 3)

165: No. 5 Dean Hamiti dec. No. 18 Antrell Taylor 7-2 (NEB 17, WIS 6)

174: No. 12 Max Maylor (WIS) dec. No. 33 Bubba Wilson 4-2 (NEB 17, WIS 9)

184: No. 3 Lenny Pinto dec. No. 16 Shane Liegel (WIS) 7-2 (NEB 20, WIS 9)

197: No. 15 Silas Allred tech. fall Josh Otto (WIS) 19-4 (NEB 25, WIS 9)

HWT: Nash Hutmacher dec. Gannon Rosenfeld (WIS) 19-14 (NEB 28, WIS 9)

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