Tempe, Ariz. – Five-straight bout wins helped the No. 3 Nebraska wrestling team secure the 26-9 victory over No. 19 Arizona State on Sunday afternoon in the Huskers’ regular-season finale.
NU used a bonus-point win and seven dual victories overall to improve to 12-2 (6-2 Big Ten) on the year, while Arizona State slipped to 7-6 on the season (4-1 Pac 12).
Action started at 125 with No. 7 Caleb Smith facing No. 24 Richard Figueroa. Figueroa held the 4-0 advantage after two periods. Smith then got the escape and was awarded two points due to Figueroa stalling, but it was not enough as Smith fell by decision, 4-3.
No. 16 Jake Van Dee met Arizona State’s No. 27 Julian Chlebove at 133. Van Dee attacked early and got a takedown and two nearfall points to lead 5-1 with two periods remaining. Chlebove then cut the lead with an escape and a late takedown, but Van Dee held on for the 8-6 decision and his third-straight victory.
With the teams tied 3-3, No. 7 Brock Hardy (141) wrestled No. 18 Jesse Vasquez in the third-straight ranked bout. The two were scoreless in the first period before Hardy was dominant on top and entered the final period with two minutes of riding time. Hardy then took over with an escape, penalty point and a takedown to secure the 6-1 decision and improve to 15-6 on the year.
In the dual’s marquee match, No. 1 Ridge Lovett faced Arizona State’s No. 4 Kyle Parco at 149. The pair wrestled a scoreless Period One before Parco scored a takedown and led 3-1 with two minutes remaining. Lovett got another escape and a penalty point, but it was not enough as Parco won by decision, 4-3.
Up next, freshman Ethan Stiles got the call at 157 against No. 3 Jacori Teemer of Arizona State with the teams tied 6-6. Teemer scored a takedown in Period Two, but Stiles recorded two escapes to trail by one heading into the final period. Stiles battled, but Teemer tallied another takedown and went on to win, 7-2.
At 165, No. 15 Antrell Taylor wrestled ASU’s Chance McLane with the Huskers down 9-6. After two periods, the wrestlers were tied 2-2. Taylor then let McLane escape before recording three takedowns and secured the 11-5 victory. The Nebraska native improved to 17-5 overall and 11-3 in dual competition.
With the match tied again at 9-9, Bubba Wilson faced Cael Valencia at 174. Wilson’s escape was the lone point of the bout, as he earned the 1-0 decision and his fifth dual victory of the season.
Looking for the third-straight win for NU, No. 3 Lenny Pinto (184) met No. 27 Tony Negron in the fifth ranked matchup of the afternoon. Pinto got a quick takedown and an escape, and he led 4-0 with one period to go. Pinto and Negron traded takedowns in Period Three, but the Husker maintained control and grabbed his seventh-straight victory, 7-4.
The Huskers then held the 15-9 overall lead as No. 13 Silas Allred grappled Jacob Meissner at 197. Allred controlled from start to finish and scored seven takedowns to secure the dual victory and his seventh technical fall of the season, 21-6.
In the final match of the night, Nash Hutmacher got the win by forfeit, and the Huskers topped ASU 26-9.
Up next, NU is set to compete at the 2024 Big Ten Championships in College Park, Md., on March 9-10.
No. 3 Nebraska 26, No. 19 Arizona State 9
125: No. 24 Richard Figueroa (ASU) dec. No. 7 Caleb Smith 4-3 (ASU 3, NEB 0)
133: No. 16 Jake Van Dee dec. No. 27 Julian Chlebove (ASU) 8-6 (NEB 3, ASU 3)
141: No. 7 Brock Hardy dec. No. 18 Jesse Vasquez (ASU) 6-1 (NEB 6, ASU 3)
149: No. 4 Kyle Parco (ASU) dec. No. 1 Ridge Lovett 4-3 (NEB 6, ASU 6)
157: No. 3 Jacori Teemer (ASU) dec. Ethan Stiles 7-2 (ASU 9, NEB 6)
165: No. 15 Antrell Taylor dec. Chance McLane (ASU) 11-5 (NEB 9, ASU 9)
174: Bubba Wilson dec. Cael Valencia (ASU) 1-0 (NEB 12, ASU 9)
184: No. 3 Lenny Pinto dec. No. 27 Tony Negron (ASU) 7-4 (NEB 15, ASU 9)
197: No. 13 Silas Allred tech. fall Jacob Meissner (ASU) 21-6 (4:35) (NEB 20, ASU 9)
HWT: Nash Hutmacher dec. no contest (ASU) FF (NEB 26, ASU 9)
