MANKATO, Minn. -- The Northern State dropped a 24-10 decision against No. 8 Minnesota State, Mankato on Friday in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference wrestling dual.
The Mavericks had three major decisions against the Wolves. Mankato has four wrestlers that are ranked in the Division II national rankings.
“We might have been undermanned at some matches, but we didn’t quit,” Northern State coach Pat Timm said. “That is something I think we hadn’t seen in the previous months. I’m happy with at least how they are wrestling and how they are getting after it.”
Ian Muirhead picked up the Wolves’ first win of the dual at the 141-pound match with an 8-2 decision over Nathan Hennes. The Mavericks then won the next five matches. Chad Gibson won the 197-pound match with a 4-3 decision over Nathan Haynes. Gibson was bumped up from the 184-pound weight class for the dual. NSU heavyweight and two-time defending national champion Matt Meuleners then capped off his regular season with a 16-3 major decision win over Corby Running to reach the final margin.
“We might have lost,” Timm said, “but I think we battled and that is important at this time of the year and we have to try to bring that into next week.”
The Wolves will now compete in the Super Region Three on Feb. 24 in Waterloo, Iowa.
|Minnesota State, Mankato 24, Northern State 10|
125: David Demo, Mankato, def. Anthony Bruno, 5-0.
133: Alphonso Vruno, Mankato, def. Tyler Frost, 4-1.
141: Ian Muirhead, NSU, def. Nathan Hennes, 8-2.
149: Thomas Allen, Mankato, major decision over Grant Steen, 17-6.
157: Sawyer Hoffman, Mankato, def. Gavin Larsen, 4-1.
165: Cody Quinn, Mankato, major decision over Blake Lundgren, 12-4.
174: Brendan Eichmann, Mankato, def. Anthony Navarro, 10-6.
184: Aaron Norgren, Mankato, major decision over Jeb Clay, 16-5.
197: Chad Gibson, NSU, def. Nathan Haynes, 4-3.
285: Matt Meuleners, NSU, major decision over Corby Running, 16-3.
