No. 22 Indiana wrestling returned to its winning ways with a 30-9 dual meet victory over No. 15 Wisconsin on Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin. The Hoosiers won eight of 10 bouts against the Badgers. The Cream and Crimson entered the meet with hopes of bouncing back from a 27-7 loss against then-No. 12 Illinois on Jan. 30.
Indiana took its first lead of the day with No. 18 graduate student Jacob Moran topping No. 15 redshirt junior Nicolar Rivera by a score of 4-2 in the 125-pound bout. An escape for Moran in the second period gave him a 1-0 lead before the final two minutes. More points came for Moran with a takedown in the third period, sandwiched between two Rivera escapes, which secured the victory by decision, and gave the Hoosiers a 3-0 advantage.
Indiana’s Jackson Blum extended his team’s lead with an upset in the 133-pound match. The unranked freshman scored an escape and a takedown in the third period and toppled No. 8 Wisconsin redshirt sophomore Zan Fugitt 4-1.
The Hoosiers continued to roll through three bouts, with a takedown, an escape and a riding time point adding up to a 5-1 victory by decision for No. 25 redshirt junior Henry Porter over Wisconsin redshirt freshman Carson Exferd in the 141-pound bout.
The fourth consecutive Hoosier victory and second upset of the day was delivered in the 149-pound bout by way of a victory for redshirt sophomore Joey Buttler over No. 12 Wisconsin redshirt senior Joseph Zargo. The two were tied with one point at the conclusion of the third period, but a Buttler takedown early in the overtime period granted him the sudden victory.
Indiana solidified its perfect first half as redshirt sophomore Bryce Lowery pinned No. 25 Wisconsin redshirt senior Luke Mechler. The third upset of the day lifted the Hoosiers to an 18-0 lead. Lowery led the 157-pound match 3-0 by way of a takedown in the first period before the pin, which came with just over a minute left in the opening period.
The Hoosiers’ dominance carried into the second half, as a 19-3 technical fall victory, courtesy of No. 19 redshirt junior Tyler Lillard, extended the advantage to 23-0 through the 165-pound bout. Lillard’s four takedowns in two periods overwhelmed Wisconsin’s No. 25 redshirt junior Cody Goebel, as Indiana stayed undefeated through six matches.
Indiana had a 26-0 upper hand through seven matches, following No. 29 graduate student Derek Gilcher’s 8-3 victory by decision over Wisconsin redshirt sophomore Luke Condon in the 174-pound bout. Gilcher earned all eight points in the final period via an escape, two takedowns and a riding time point.
Indiana’s No. 20 redshirt freshman Sam Goin cruised to an 11-2 victory over Wisconsin redshirt freshman Matthew Jens. An escape, three takedowns and a riding time point was Goin’s recipe for victory, as the Hoosiers led 30-0 with two matches remaining.
Wisconsin’s first takedown of the afternoon came in the 197-pound bout when No. 28 Badger redshirt freshman Wyatt Ingham took a 3-0 lead in the first period over No. 18 redshirt junior Gabe Sollars. Sollars evened the score with an escape and a reversal before the end of the second period. A takedown from both men in the third period forced overtime, before Ingham snagged the sudden victory with a takedown.
With nothing to wrestle for in the heavyweight bout, Wisconsin’s No. 9 redshirt junior Braxton Amos narrowed the Hoosier deficit against redshirt freshman Caleb Marzolino. Marzolino remained winless on the season, as he was pinned before the end of the second period.
Indiana ended the day winners of eight of 10 matches, winning all eight consecutively. Three unranked Hoosiers earned victories over ranked opponents as Indiana wrestling improved to 3-3 in conference, and 2-4 on the road.
Indiana wrestling will continue its season with a dual meet against Nebraska at noon Feb. 15 at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington.
