The South Dakota State wrestling team was outpaced by neighbor and rival North Dakota State 36-9 on Friday night in Brookings.
The dual started at 125 pounds and the Bison opened the dual with three-straight wins by major decision, decision and tech fall, for an early 12-0 lead.
The Jackrabbits responded in the 149-pound match, as Dustin Walraven lined up versus Joe Garner. Walraven, ranked No. 31 in the second NCAA coaches' panel rankings and No. 20 in the initial RPI, dominated the match and scored a 13-3 major decision to put SDSU on the board.
In the 157-pound match, Cody Pack pushed the Jacks' total higher with a tech fall versus Tanner Carlisle. Pack scored a trio of takedowns in the first period for an early lead and applied pressure in the final two periods for an 18-3 win.
"Walraven has been banged up, so it is good to see him put that aside and go get a win," head coach Chris Bono said. "It is good to see Pack get back on the winning track, as well. It is important to get on a roll this late in the year, so I am happy for those guys."
SDSU trailed NDSU 12-9 at the intermission.
Following the intermission, the SDSU forfeited the 165-pound match.
The Jacks wrestled Joe Brewster up one weight class at 174 versus Hayden Zillmer. The two were scoreless through one period and traded escapes early in the second and third periods. The match appeared destined for overtime, but Zillmer scored a takedown with two seconds remaining for the decision.
The decision forced SDSU into three must-win matches.
Unfortunately for the Jacks, the Bison won the final three matches by major decision, tech fall and pin, for a 36-9 dual win.
"It went the way it looked on paper," Bono said. "We did not do our job of upsetting anybody, and we beat who we were supposed to beat. We need to start beating guys we are not supposed to beat to win these types of duals."
SDSU closes out its five dual homestand and the regular season in its final dual versus Big Ten foe Northwestern. Dual time is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 17, in Frost Arena.
"Northwestern is a very good team," said Bono. "We need to have our A-game and we need to upset some guys to end the season with a win."
North Dakota State
36 - South Dakota State 9
125 - No. 10 Trent Sprenkle (NDSU) major decision Aaron Pickrel, 12-3 (NDSU 4-0)
133 - Josh Rodriguez (NDSU) decision Brance Simms, 6-2 (NDSU 7-0)
141 - Mark Erickson (NDSU) tech
fall Ben Gillette, 17-1 (5:53) (NDSU 12-0)
149 - No. 31 Dustin Walraven major decision Joe Garner (NDSU), 13-3 (NDSU 12-4)
157 - Cody Pack tech fall Tanner
Carlisle (NDSU), 18-3 (6:36) (NDSU 12-9)
Intermission
165 - No. 6 Steven Monk (NDSU) won by
forfeit (NDSU 18-9)
174 - Hayden Zillmer (NDSU) decision Joe Brewster, 3-1 (NDSU 21-9)
184 - No. 22 Mac Stoll (NDSU) major decision Shea Nolan, 10-1 (NDSU 25-9)
197 - Kallen Kleinschmidt (NDSU) tech fall Joe Skow, 17-2 (5:00) (NDSU 30-9)
285 - No. 33 Evan Knutson (NDSU) pin J.J. Everard, 1:24 (NDSU
wins 36-9)
