Augsburg 40, Concordia-Moorhead 9

MINNEAPOLIS — Claiming seven bonus-point decisions in winning eight of 10 bouts, including four by pin, the No. 2-ranked Augsburg University men’s wrestling team scored a 40-9 dual-meet victory over Concordia College-Moorhead on Thursday evening at Si Melby Hall.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After dropping the opening bout of the match, Augsburg scored seven straight wins, all by bonus-point margins, to claim the win. Defending NCAA Division III national champion Augsburg is ranked No. 2 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national rankings.

At 133 pounds, No. 2-ranked Victor Gliva (SR, Farmington, Minn./Farmington HS) improved to 20-4 on the season with his ninth pin, converting a takedown and a pair of four-point near-falls before dispatching the Cobbers’ Sam Kulseth in 2:48. The pin was Gliva’s 33rd in his 109-26 collegiate career.

No. 3-ranked 149-pounder Aaron Wilson (SR, Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis HS) scored his 20th bonus-point win in his 24-1 season, with a 2:10 pin of Concordia’s Kellen Schauer. Wilson now has nine pins, nine technical falls and two major decisions this season, and 36 pins in his 95-30 college career.

Two-time defending NCAA Division III national champion Lucas Jeske (SR, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) improved to 5-1 on the season and 92-10 in his career with his 38th collegiate pin, a 2:41 win over Alex Skaare. The No. 2-ranked wrestler nationally at 165 pounds, Jeske quickly converted a takedown into his third pin of the season.

At 174, Augsburg’s No. 6-ranked Solomon Nielsen (JR, Luverne, Minn./Luverne HS), built an 11-5 lead in the third period over Kaden Spindler, on the strength of three takedowns and two reversals, before claiming a pin with a minute remaining in the bout. Nielsen is now 18-2 on the season.

Top-ranked 184-pounder Tanner Vassar (SR, Maple Lake, Minn./Maple Lake HS) had another dominating performance in remaining unbeaten at 26-0 on the season, scoring a 12-0 major decision win over Ayden Friese. Vassar now has 19 bonus-point wins (15 pins, two technical falls, two major decisions) this season, and is now 119-29 in his career with 70 bonus-point victories.

Defending 141-pound national champion David Flynn (SR, Jordan, Minn./Jordan HS (Scott West)) used two takedowns and three near-falls to end his bout early against Cade Lundeen, with a 15-0, third-period technical fall. Flynn, ranked No. 5 nationally at 141, is now 12-3 with nine bonus-point wins (four pins, two technical falls, three major decisions).

Two-time defending NCAA Division III national champion Ryan Epps (SR, Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls HS), ranked No. 2 at 157, improved to 24-1 on the season and 137-12 in his career with a 12-1, major decision win over Tyler Bents. Epps built 4:36 of riding time with four takedowns en route to the victory.

Heavweight Tyler Kim (FY, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) closed the match with his 20th victory of the year, a 6-2 win over Chase Dockter. Kim is now 20-6 in his first college season.

FOR THE FOES
Concordia’s Cole Kubesh improved to 20-8 with a 6-3 win over Justin Stauffacher (FY, Belle Plaine, Minn./Belle Plaine HS (Scott West)) at 125 pounds, building 3:33 of riding time and claiming four straight points to close the bout.

Gabe Zierden scored a 2:13 pin for the Cobbers over Lorenzo Hernandez (SR, New Ulm, Minn./New Ulm HS) at 197 pounds, overcoming an early takedown to improve to 19-9 on the year.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
Augsburg claimed its sixth straight win over Concordia in the all-time series, and is now 31-3 in dual meets against Concordia since the 1980-81 season.

Against opponents from Divisions II and III, Augsburg is now 345-54-1 in dual meets since the 1989-90 season. Augsburg has lost just 50 matches to non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season. Against strictly Division III opponents, Augsburg is 332-53-1 since the 1979-80 season and 257-43-1 since 1989-90.

UP NEXT
Augsburg hosts Minnesota State-Moorhead on Saturday (2/15) at 7 p.m. at Si Melby Hall. The Cobbers compete next when they travel back to Augaburg in two weeks (Feb. 28-29) for the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional.

THE BASICS
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis
RECORDS: Augsburg 7-2 overall, Concordia-Moorhead 6-5 overall
Action begins at 125 pounds. Time of match: 1:25. Attendance: 127.
Official: Bill Benson.

Augsburg 40, Concordia-Moorhead 9
125 — Cole Kubesh (CON, 20-8) dec. Justin Stauffacher (AUG, 14-8) 6-3 (Concordia 3-0)
133 — No. 2 Victor Gliva (AUG, 20-4) pinned Sam Kulseth (CON, 3-5) 2:48 (Augsburg 6-3)
141 — No. 5 David Flynn (AUG, 12-3) tech. fall Cade Lundeen (CON, 16-11) 15-0 at 6:17 (Augsburg 11-3)
149 — No. 3 Aaron Wilson (AUG, 24-1) pinned Kellen Schauer (CON, 12-9) 2:10 (Augsburg 17-3)
157 — No. 2 Ryan Epps (AUG, 24-1) maj. dec. Tyler Bents (CON, 14-12) 12-1 (Augsburg 21-3)
165 — No. 2 Lucas Jeske (AUG, 5-1) pinned Alex Skaare (CON, 8-8) 2:41 (Augsburg 27-3)
174 — No. 6 Solomon Nielsen (AUG, 18-2) pinned Kaden Spindler (CON, 7-4) 6:00 (Augsburg 33-3)
184 — No. 1 Tanner Vassar (AUG, 26-0) maj. dec. Ayden Friese (CON, 10-15) 12-0 (Augsburg 37-3)
197 — Gabe Zierden (CON, 19-9) pinned Lorenzo Hernandez (AUG, 10-6) 2:13 (Augsburg 37-9)
HWT — Tyler Kim (AUG, 20-6) dec. Chase Dockter (CON, 4-6) 6-2 (Augsburg 40-9)

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