Piscataway, N.J. – No. 4 Nebraska (7-1, 1-1 Big Ten) suffered its first loss of the season to No. 11 Rutgers, 17-16, at Rutgers Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.
After all 10 matches, the teams were tied 16-16, but the Scarlet Knights won on total match points criteria, 51-48. NU’s loss snapped a streak of 17 straight wins, which dated back to last season. Rutgers improves to 10-2 on the season.
The Huskers jumped out to an early 6-0 with victories by No. 10 Tim Lambert (125) and No. 9 Eric Montoya (133). Lambert notched a 9-4 decision over 18th-ranked Sean McCabe to complete a perfect 2-0 weekend. Montoya defeated No. 17 Anthony Giraldo, 2-0.
At 141 pounds, 17th-ranked Anthony Abidin fell to No. 3 Anthony Ashnault, 11-2, but No. 7 Jake Sueflohn responded at 149 pounds with a 12-3 major decision over Tyson Dippery. Sueflohn, a senior from Watertown, Wis., finished a perfect 2-0 weekend to give NU a 10-4 lead after four bouts against the Scarlet Knights.
NU’s Tyler Berger (No. 10 at 157) and Austin Wilson (No. 4 at 165) suffered decision losses in the subsequent two matches to tie the dual, 10-10. At 174 pounds, 12th-ranked Micah Barnes used a dominant third period to down Phillip Bakuckas, 9-3.
No. 4 TJ Dudley (184) fell to Nicholas Gravina, 3-2, but 16th-ranked Aaron Studebaker (197) responded with a 3-1 win in tiebreaker-1 over Hayden Hrymack to give NU a 16-13 edge. At heavyweight, No. 13 Collin Jensen lost to No. 6 Billy Smith, 8-2.
The Huskers close out 2015 in the Midlands Championships, Dec. 29-30, at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill.
#11 Rutgers 17, #4 Nebraska 16
Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015
Rutgers Athletic Center (Piscataway, N.J.)
Results
125: #10 Tim Lambert (NEB) dec. #18 Sean McCabe (RUT), 9-4 (NEB 3, RUT 0)
133: #9 Eric Montoya (NEB) dec. #17 Anthony Giraldo (RUT), 2-0 (NEB 6, RUT 0)
141: #3 Anthony Ashnault (RUT) major dec. #17 Anthony Abidin (NEB), 11-2 (NEB 6, RUT 4)
149: #7 Jake Sueflohn (NEB) major dec. Tyson Dippery (RUT), 12-3 (NEB 10, RUT 4)
157: #17 Richie Lewis (RUT) dec. #10 Tyler Berger (NEB), 10-3 (NEB 10, RUT 7)
165: #12 Anthony Perrotti (RUT) dec. #4 Austin Wilson (NEB), 9-4 (NEB 10, RUT 10)
174: #12 Micah Barnes (NEB) dec. Phillip Bakuckas (RUT), 9-3 (NEB 13, RUT 10)
184: Nicholas Gravina (RUT) dec. #4 TJ Dudley (NEB), 3-2 (NEB 13, RUT 13)
197: #16 Aaron Studebaker (NEB) tiebreaker-1 Hayden Hrymack (RUT), 3-1 (NEB 16, RUT 13)
HWT: #6 Billy Smith (RUT) dec. #13 Collin Jensen (NEB), 8-2 (NEB 16, RUT 16)
Note: Rutgers won by criteria (total match points, 51-48) (RUT 17, NEB 16)