MINNEAPOLIS -- Winning seven of 10 matches, the Augsburg College wrestling team scored a 21-12 victory over Augustana College (S.D.) in a dual meet on Wednesday evening at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.
Augsburg, the No. 2-ranked team in the NCAA Division III national rankings, rallied from an early deficit to score the win over Augustana, ranked No. 19 in the NCAA Division II national poll. It was the first dual meet of the regular season for both teams.
Augsburg is now 10-1 in the all-time series against Augustana, a series dating to the 1999-2000 season. Against opponents from Divisions II and III since the 1989-90 season, Augsburg is now 239-21. Augsburg has lost just 16 matches against non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season.
The teams split the two matchups of ranked wrestlers on the evening. Top-ranked and defending 197-pound national champion
Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) avenged his only loss of last season with a 6-2 triumph over Augustana's No. 4-ranked Ty Copsey (JR, Glenwood, Iowa).
Massey scored two first-period takedowns and recorded 1:49 of riding time to score the win over Copsey, improving to 5-0 on the season and 35-1 in his two seasons at Augsburg. Copsey was the lone wrestler to beat Massey last season, a 4-3 decision in the teams' dual meet on Jan. 20, 2009.
In the opening match of the evening at 165 pounds, Augustana's Gavin Nelson (JR, Missouri Valley, Iowa), ranked No. 8 in Division II, rallied from a 6-4 deficit with an escape and takedown in the last 29 seconds of the match to score a 7-6 win over Augsburg's
Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS), ranked No. 7 in Division III.
Augsburg's top-ranked 157-pounder,
Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.), remained unbeaten at 5-0 with a 4-3 win over Augustana's Marcus Edgington (SO, Sioux City, Iowa). Adams gave up an early takedown, but scored two escapes and a takedown of his own to claim the victory.
Augsburg's three other ranked wrestlers all claimed victories. No. 4-ranked heavyweight
Andy Witzel (SR, Fulda, Minn.) scored an escape with 33 seconds left in the match to secure a 5-3 win over Lance Peters (JR, LeRoy, Minn.).
Tony Valek (SO, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West), ranked No. 4 at 141, improved to 5-0 on the season at his new weight of 149 pounds with a 6-4 win over Nate Herda (FY, Rock Rapids, Iowa), with a reversal with four seconds left in the match providing the margin of victory.
No. 3-ranked 174-pounder
Zach Molitor (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS) scored all his points in the third period, with an escape, two takedowns and a two-point near-fall providing the scoring in a 7-2 win over Carl Serck (SO, Hudson, S.D.).
Augsburg's
Caleb Lines (FY, Jackson, Minn./Jackson County Central HS) scored a takedown nine seconds into the sudden-victory overtime period to edge Augustana's Luke Heine (FY, Vermillion, S.D.) at 184, and
Josh Roberts (FY, Grand Forks, N.D./Central HS) improved to 4-1 on the season with a 6-2 win over Al Meger (JR, Owatonna, Minn.) of Augustana.
Augustana's Cody Lensing (SO, Mounds View, Minn.) had the lone pin of the evening, with a sudden reversal and pin at the 2:49 mark of the first period against Augsburg's
Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.) at 133. At 141, Augustana's No. 3-ranked Jay Sherer (JR, Columbus, Neb.) scored a 12-5 win over Augsburg's
Jake Saatzer (JR, Mound, Minn./Mound/Westonka HS).
Augsburg returns to action on Dec. 5 at the Minnesota State Moorhead Dragon Open, while Augustana is in action on Dec. 2 with a dual meet against its crosstown rival, the University of Sioux Falls.
No. 2 (Div. III) Augsburg (Minn., 1-0) 21, No. 19 (Div. II) Augustana (S.D., 0-1) 12
Wednesday, November 25, 2009 – Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis, Minn.
Action begins at 165 pounds.
Time of match: 1:42.
Attendance: 305.
Official: Bryan Kelvington.
165 -- No. 8 Gavin Nelson (Augustana, 6-0) dec. No. 7
Orlando Ponce (Augsburg, 3-2) 7-6
(Augustana 3-0).
174 – No. 3
Zach Molitor (Augsburg, 4-1) dec. Carl Serck (Augustana, 6-3) 7-2
(TIED 3-3).
184 –
Caleb Lines (Augsburg, 3-2) dec. Luke Heine (Augustana, 3-2) 5-3 (SV1-OT)
(Augsburg 6-3).
197 – No. 1
Jared Massey (Augsburg, 5-0) dec. No. 4 Ty Copsey (Augustana, 4-1) 6-2
(Augsburg 9-3).
HWT – No. 4
Andy Witzel (Augsburg, 3-0) dec. Lance Peters (Augustana, 7-3) 5-3
(Augsburg 12-3).
125 –
Josh Roberts (Augsburg, 4-1) dec. Al Meger (Augustana, 6-4) 6-2
(Augsburg 15-3).
133 -- Cody Lensing (Augustana, 4-1) pinned
Paul Bjorkstrand (Augsburg, 3-2) 2:49
(Augsburg 15-9).
141 – No. 3 Jay Sherer (Augustana, 10-2) dec.
Jake Saatzer (Augsburg, 3-2) 12-5
(Augsburg 15-12).
149 – No. 4 (141)
Tony Valek (Augsburg, 5-0) dec. Nate Herda (Augustana, 6-4) 6-4
(Augsburg 18-12).
157 -- No. 1
Jason Adams (Augsburg, 5-0) dec. Marcus Edgington (Augustana, 9-2) 4-3
(Augsburg 21-12).
