MINNEAPOLIS -- Scoring seven straight victories in the middle of the match, the Augsburg College wrestling team rallied from an early deficit to claim a 34-13 dual-meet win over visiting Minnesota State University Moorhead on Tuesday evening at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall.
Trailing 10-0 after two bouts, the Auggies collected four pins and a major decision among their seven straight wins to clinch the dual victory, improving to 2-0 in dual meets on the season. Augsburg is ranked No. 2 in the latest NCAA Division III wrestling national poll.
MSU Moorhead (2-1 in dual meets), an NCAA Division II squad, had a pin and major decision among its three victories.
Augsburg leads the all-time series against MSU Moorhead 13-0, a series dating to the 1991-92 season. Against opponents from Divisions II and III since the 1989-90 season, Augsburg is now 240-21. Augsburg has lost just 16 matches against non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season.
Augsburg scored pins from
Cody Hansen (FY, Albert Lea, Minn.) at 141 pounds,
Orlando Ponce (JR, Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes HS) at 165,
Brandon Bahr (SO, Bemidji, Minn.) at 174 and
Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) at 197.
Hansen began the Auggie rally at 141 pounds with a second-period pin of MSU Moorhead's Brady Schneeberger (JR, Elbow Lake, Minn./West Central Area HS), quickly converting a reversal to a pin at the 3:41 mark.
Ponce, ranked No. 7 nationally at 165 pounds, scored the quickest pin of the evening, a 33-second match-ender against Brennan Novaceck (FY, Greenbush, Minn./Badger-Greenbush-Middle River HS). In the next match at 174, Bahr scored a second-period pin of Jacob McLean (FY, Hillsboro, N.D.), building a 9-1 lead before ending the match early.
Defending national champion Massey, ranked No. 1 nationally at 197, improved to 6-0 on the season with a 51-second pin of Jon Swart (JR, Fargo, N.D./Fargo North HS). In his two seasons at Augsburg, Massey is now 36-1, 41-3 in his collegiate career overall.
Top-ranked
Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) improved to 9-0 on the season with a 12-6 win at 157 pounds over Tallen Wald (JR, Montevideo, Minn.), taking advantage of five takedowns while building 2:12 of riding time. At 184 pounds, Augsburg's
Caleb Lines (FY, Jackson, Minn./Jackson County Central HS) built a 13-1 lead en route to a 13-5, major-decision win over Roger Sirek (FY, New Prague, Minn.).
Tony Valek (SO, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West), ranked No. 4 at 141 pounds, improved to 9-2 at 149 with a 6-4 victory over Derek Bomstad (JR, Hutchinson, Minn.), claiming a takedown in the final second of the match to clinch the win.
MSU Moorhead scored bonus-point wins in the opening two bouts. At 125, Corey Ulmer (SO, Wishek, N.D./Ashley-Wishek HS) scored a 12-4, major-decision win over Augsburg's
Freddie Vigil (SR, Bakersfield, Calif./South HS), and at 133, Evan Forde (JR, Fargo, N.D./Fargo South HS) rallied from an 11-5 deficit with a takedown and pin in the third period over Augsburg's
Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.).
The Dragons' Tim Johnson (SR, Lamberton, Minn./Red Rock Central HS) closed the match with a 4-1 win at heavyweight over Augsburg's
Nick Creamier (SO, Coon Rapids, Minn.).
Augsburg returns to action with two meets on Saturday (12/12), with the varsity competing at the St. Cloud State Open and the White Team (JV) competing at the Wartburg (Iowa) Dick Walker Invitational.
No. 2 (Div. III) Augsburg (2-0) 34, MSU Moorhead (2-1) 13
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 -- Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis, Minn.
Time of match: 1:15. Attendance: 95.
Official: Bryan Kelvington. Action begins at 125 pounds.
125 – Corey Ulmer (MSUM, 13-4) maj. dec.
Freddie Vigil (AUG, 1-3) 12-4
(MSU Moorhead 4-0).
133 -- Evan Forde (MSUM, 12-4) pinned
Paul Bjorkstrand (AUG, 7-4) 5:49
(MSU Moorhead 10-0).
141 – Cody Hansen (AUG, 7-3) pinned Brady Schneeberger (MSUM, 11-6) 3:41
(MSU Moorhead 10-6).
149 – No. 4 (141)
Tony Valek (AUG, 10-2) dec. Derek Bomstad (MSUM, 6-5) 6-4
(MSU Moorhead 10-9).
157 -- No. 1
Jason Adams (AUG, 9-0) dec. Tallen Wald (MSUM, 9-6) 12-6
(Augsburg 12-10).
165 -- No. 7
Orlando Ponce (AUG, 7-4) pinned Brennan Novaceck (MSUM, 3-10) 0:33
(Augsburg 18-10).
174 – Brandon Bahr (AUG, 3-4) pinned Jacob McLean (MSUM, 7-8) 4:04
(Augsburg 24-10).
184 – Caleb Lines (AUG, 4-4) maj. dec. Roger Sirek (MSUM, 2-8) 13-5
(Augsburg 28-10).
197 – No. 1
Jared Massey (AUG, 6-0) pinned Jon Swart (MSUM, 3-3) 0:51
(Augsburg 34-10).
HWT – Tim Johnson (MSUM, 12-3) dec.
Nick Creamier (AUG, 4-4) 4-1
(Augsburg 34-13).
