Kinser, Powless lead IU wrestlers in Las Vegas

The IU wrestling team traveled west this weekend for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, a loaded tournament that served as a final barometer for the wrestlers before conference matches begin.

Consider Kurt Kinser and Matt Powless ready.

Both wrestlers went 5-1 for the tournament to finish in third place in their respective weight classes. Each went 3-0 on the first day to reach the semifinals. There, each faced the top seed and eventual champion.

Kinser, a senior, dropped a 4-3 decision to Boise State’s Jason Chamberlain at 149 pounds. In his first consolation match, Kinser faced North Carolina-Greensboro’s Ivan Lopouchanski for the second straight Saturday. At last week’s Hoosier Duals, Kinser was upset by Lopouchanski 6-2. Now the lower seed, Kinser was victorious the second time, winning 9-4.

Kinser’s win over Lopouchanski earned him another match with a familiar foe in the third-place match, Virginia Tech’s Brian Stephens, the same opponent he had defeated the previous day in the quarterfinals. Kinser improved on his 4-3 win against Stephens on Friday with a 7-3 victory to take third.

In his semifinal match at 197 pounds, Powless lost a 12-2 major decision to Cam Simaz of Cornell, his first defeat of the season. However, he rebounded to defeat a pair of wrestlers, including No. 15-ranked Anthony Biondo of Michigan, to win third.

Senior Paul Young was on track to join Kinser and Powless in fighting through the wrestlebacks but was forced to medically forfeit his consolation match Saturday morning. Details of the injury were unknown as of press time.

The team finished in 16th place overall with 54 points.

The team next opens the Big Ten season on Dec. 15 when it plays host to Northwestern.


— Max McCombs