Lincoln, Neb. – Nebraska’s newcomers provided narrow wins early and both returning All-Americans added bonus points to lead the No. 13 Huskers to a 25-16 season-opening victory over No. 19 Northwestern at the Devaney Center on Sunday.

Nebraska (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) never trailed the Wildcats during the dual as Tim Lambert (125) and Colton McCrystal (133) posted overtime wins in the first two matches. Lambert, who is ranked 16th by InterMat, battled Northwestern’s Garrison White to extra time before earning a takedown in second overtime for an 8-6 triumph.

McCrystal, a true freshman, took down Dominick Malone in the closing seconds of the third period at 133 pounds to tie the score, 6-6. McCrystal earned an escape in overtime to notch a 7-6 victory in his first-ever collegiate match.

Newcomer Anthony Abidin (141) trailed the Wildcats’ Pat Greco 0-2 in the early going before dominating the rest of the way for a 7-2 win. Abidin improves to 5-1 on the season following his second-place showing at the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open on Nov. 3.

The Huskers suffered their first loss of the dual at 149 pounds as No. 4 Jake Sueflohn fell to No. 9 Jason Tsirtsis by a 3-2 decision. The loss marks Sueflohn’s second of the season.

Nebraska responded at 157 pounds as No. 4 James Green defeated Ben Sullivan to give the Huskers a 13-3 lead before the halfway break. Green raced out to an early lead and never looked back in a 19-10 major decision.

At 165 pounds, Northwestern’s Pierce Harger (No. 11 in InterMat) defeated No. 20 Austin Wilson, 8-0, before No. 4 Robert Kokesh won by forfeit at 174 pounds.

Redshirt freshman TJ Dudley (184) earned the first dual start of his career and finished it in style with a pin over Jacob Berkowitz in 3:42. Dudley registered his third pin of the season for the Huskers.

Caleb Kolb (197) and Nyle Bartling (HWT) fell in the final two matches of the dual, but the Huskers held on for a 25-16 victory. Kolb was edged by Alex Polizzi, 4-2, and Bartling was pinned by No. 2 Mike McMullan in 2:58.

The Huskers hit the road next weekend to face South Dakota State on Sunday, Nov. 24, in Brookings, S.D. The dual starts at 2 p.m.

No. 13 Nebraska 25, No. 19 Northwestern 16

Bob Devaney Sports Center
Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013
Attendance: 932

Official Results

125: #16 Tim Lambert (NEB) by dec. over Garrison White (NW), 8-6 (2OT) (NEB 3, NW 0)
133: Colton McCrystal (NEB) by dec. over Dominick Malone (NW), 7-6 (OT) (NEB 6, NW 0)
141: Anthony Abidin (NEB) by dec. over Pat Greco (NW), 7-2  (NEB 9, NW 0)
149: #9 Jason Tsirtsis (NW) by dec. over #4 Jake Sueflohn (NEB), 3-2 (NEB 9, NW 3)
157: #4 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over Ben Sullivan (NW), 19-10 (NEB 13, NW 3)
165: #11 Pierce Harger (NW) by major dec. over #20 Austin Wilson (NEB), 8-0 (NEB 13, NW 7)
174: #4 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by forfeit (NEB 19, NW 7)

Four of Nebraska’s wrestlers earned top-20 spots in the Amateur Wrestling News preseason rankings, which were released on Tuesday.

Juniors James Green (157), Robert Kokesh (174) and Jake Sueflohn (149) each garnered top-10 spots heading into the 2013-14 campaign, while redshirt freshman Tim Lambert enters the season ranked 17th at 125 pounds.

Green, a two-time All-American, is fourth at 157 pounds following his second consecutive seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2013. The Willingboro, N.J., native is also No. 4 in the InterMat rankings, which were released last week. Green finished the 2012-13 season with a 25-6 record, which included a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships.

Kokesh is No. 4 at 174 pounds after one of the most successful sophomore campaigns in Husker history. The Wagner, S.D., native capped a 38-4 season with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships last March. Kokesh captured last year’s Midlands Invitational title and Cliff Keen Invitational crown in addition to a third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Kokesh is also ranked fourth in the InterMat preseason rankings.

Sueflohn enters his third season at Nebraska ranked sixth at 149 pounds. The two-time NCAA qualifier fell one win shy of All-America honors in 2013 after a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Sueflohn finished his sophomore campaign with a 24-7 record. He is ranked fourth by InterMat.

Lambert begins his redshirt freshman season in the top 20 following a successful first season at Nebraska in which the Forest Hills, Mich., native won four open tournament titles. Lambert went 19-3 as a redshirt at 125 pounds.

The Huskers open the 2013-14 campaign on Nov. 3 at the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open in Brookings, S.D. On Nov. 8, Nebraska hosts its annual Wrestle-Offs at the Bob Devaney Sports Center at 6 p.m. NU’s first home dual is scheduled for Nov. 17 at 1 p.m., against Northwestern at the Devaney Center.

Complete Amateur Wrestling News weight class rankings can be found at http://awn.theopenmat.com/2013/10/awn-2013-14-preseason-division-i-college-wrestling-rankings/.

Amateur Wrestling News Preseason Rankings (Oct. 15)

125: #17 Tim Lambert – RFr. (19-3)*
149: #6 Jake Sueflohn – Jr. (24-7)
157: #4 James Green – Jr. (25-6)
174: #4 Robert Kokesh – Jr. (38-4)

Last season’s record in parentheses

*- denotes redshirt from last season