MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Pins by
Matt Hechsel (SO, Apple Valley, Minn.) and
Chad Johnson (JR, Ferryville, Wis./De Soto HS) proved to be the difference in the match, as the Augsburg College wrestling team claimed a 21-16 victory over host Minnesota State University Moorhead in a dual meet on Tuesday evening at Alex Nemzek Hall.
Johnson, the defending NCAA Division III national champion and top-ranked heavyweight nationally, improved to 12-1 on the season with a 4:48 pin of Gerad Fugleberg, following Hechsel's 2:27 pin of Lucas Moderow at 197 pounds. Johnson claimed his sixth pin in his 12th victory of the season, improving to 12-1 overall. Hechsel claimed his fourth pin of the year in improving to 9-3 overall.
The two pins lifted Augsburg (2-0 overall), the No. 2-ranked team in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national polls, to a lead it would not relinquish over MSU Moorhead (2-1 overall), a squad that received votes in the latest Division II national polls. Augsburg leads the all-time series against MSU Moorhead 16-0, a series dating to the 1991-92 season.
Against opponents from NCAA Divisions II and III, Augsburg is now 267-28-1 in dual meets since the 1989-90 season. Augsburg has lost just 24 matches to non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season.
No. 2-ranked 149-pounder
Will Keeter (JR, Twin Falls, Idaho) closed the dual meet with an 8-2 victory over MSU Moorhead's Mariano Portillo, improving to 7-2 on the season.
Two of Augsburg's other ranked wrestlers also scored victories, as No. 4-ranked 125-pounder
Mike Fuenffinger (SO, Hibbing, Minn.) improved to 11-2 on the season with a 7-3 win over Mitch Dunlap, and No. 6-ranked 174-pounder
Josh Kohler (SR, Monticello, Minn.) scored a 5-3 win over Jesse Puncochar, improving to 8-3 on the year in the process.
The Dragons claimed five wins on the evening, including three of the first four bouts of the night.
Augsburg is now idle until Dec. 29-30, when it competes at the Citrus Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Augsburg (No. 2 in D-III, 2-0) 21, Minnesota State Moorhead (D-II, 2-1) 16
Dec. 11, 2012 -- Alex Nemzek Hall, Moorhead, Minn.
Action begins at 157 pounds.
157 -- Casey Williams (MSUM) dec.
Kurt Knutsen (AUG, 3-4) 6-4
(MSU Moorhead 3-0)
165 -- Kerron Williams (MSUM) dec.
Andrew Powers (AUG, 2-7) 7-2
(MSU Moorhead 6-0)
174 -- No. 6
Josh Kohler (AUG, 8-3) dec. Jesse Puncochar (MSUM) 5-3
(MSU Moorhead 6-3)
184 -- Matt Lewellen (MSUM) maj. dec.
Quinten Strand (AUG, 6-6) 8-0
(MSU Moorhead 10-3)
197 -- Matt Hechsel (AUG, 9-3) pinned Lucas Moderow (MSUM), 2:27
(MSU Moorhead 10-9)
HWT -- No. 1
Chad Johnson (AUG, 12-1) pinned Gerad Fugleberg (MSUM) 4:48
(Augsburg 15-10)
125 -- No. 4
Mike Fuenffinger (AUG, 11-2) dec. Mitch Dunlap (MSUM) 7-3
(Augsburg 18-10)
133 -- Philippe Walker (MSUM) dec. No. 4
Tossaporn "Boyd" Suparat (AUG, 8-4) 9-4
(Augsburg 18-13)
141 -- Angel Vega (MSUM) dec. No. 8
Tom Kuehn (AUG, 5-3) 11-9
(Augsburg 18-16)
149 -- No. 2
Will Keeter (AUG, 7-2) dec. Mariano Portillo (MSUM) 8-2
(Augsburg 21-16)
