Indiana wrestling traveled 10 miles northwest to Edgewood High School in Ellettsville, Indiana, on Friday and secured a 22-19 victory at its Youth Club Night dual against the Columbia University Lions.
The Hoosiers entered the season 1-0, after an opening night 25-8 victory at the expense of Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. The Friday night date with Indiana was Columbia’s first dual of the season.
Indiana was named the No. 26 team in the nation Tuesday by InterMat. Additionally, seven Hoosiers were ranked individually, led by No. 11 redshirt junior Gabe Sollars.
Indiana jumped out to an early lead, after No. 12 graduate student Jacob Moran’s 7-3 victory by decision over junior Sulayman Bah in the 125-pound bout, resulting in a 3-0 Hoosier advantage.
Indiana’s hot start was quenched by back-to-back Columbia wins by major decision in the 133 and 141-pound bouts, giving the Lions an 8-3 lead through three rounds. First, Columbia freshman Evin Gursoy’s 8-0 victory over Indiana freshman Jackson Blum, followed by No. 29 junior Lorenzo Frezza’s 11-2 victory over the Hoosiers’ No. 25 redshirt junior Henry Porter.
Indiana responded to the 8-3 deficit with two major decision victories of its own in the 149 and 157-pound bouts. Redshirt sophomore Joey Buttler defeated senior Richard Fedalen 14-6, and redshirt sophomore Bryce Lowery defeated freshman Charles Scanlan 9-1.
Following the consecutive victories, No. 21 redshirt junior Tyler Lillard tacked on a third straight Hoosier win. Lillard bested No. 26 senior Cesar Alvan 8-5 in the 165-pound bout, the only overtime bout of the evening. The Hoosiers led 14-8 through six duals.
Three of the final four bouts resulted in falls or technical falls. In the 174-pound bout, No. 29 Columbia senior Nick Fine defeated No. 31 IU graduate student Derek Gilcher in a 20-4 technical fall victory, earning five more points for the Lions to narrow the deficit to 14-13.
Indiana retaliated in the 184-pound bout, with No. 20 redshirt freshman Sam Goin earning a 10-3 victory by decision over No. 16 senior Aaron Ayzerov. The Hoosiers were able to secure the dual in the 197-pound bout, by way of Sollars’ 15-0 technical fall victory over junior Adam Haselius. Haselius replaced No. 33 junior Jack Wehmeyer, who did not participate in Ellettsville. Indiana’s 22-13 lead through nine bouts put the dual out of reach for the Lions.
With the Hoosiers’ victory already sealed, Indiana redshirt freshman Caleb Marzolino conceded to junior Vincent Mueller in just 37 seconds in the final bout of the evening, confirming the Youth Club Night victory for the Hoosiers.
The Friday night victory improved Indiana’s record to 2-0. The Hoosiers will continue their season with a dual against the University of Oklahoma on Nov. 23 in Norman, Oklahoma.
