For the second time this season, the Nebraska wrestling team set a new record for largest crowd to watch a Cornhuskers’ dual. And for the second time, that big crowd filed out of John Cook Arena disappointed.
A school-record crowd of 7,891 saw No. 6 Nebraska fall to No. 4 Iowa, 22-14, Friday night at John Cook Arena. The prior high came earlier this year against Oklahoma State.
The highlight of the night came at 141 pounds, where No. 3 Brock Hardy became the 33rd Husker wrestler to win 100 matches, as he eeked out a 1-0 win over No. 10 Nasir Bailey.
But after Hardy’s win, No. 17 Ryder Block pinned No. 14 Chance Lamer, boosting the Hawkeyes’ lead to 12-3. No. 5 Antrell Taylor came back with a 2-1 decision win over Jordan Williams at 157 pounds to cut Iowa’s lead to 12-6. But three straight wins by the Hawkeyes pushed their lead to 22-6 and clinched the dual. Nebraska won the final two matches of the dual, as No. 9 Camden McDanel won by technical fall over Brody Sampson at 197 pounds, and No. 4 AJ Ferrari won by decision over No. 8 Ben Kueter at heavyweight, 4-1.
It gets no easier for the Huskers, as Nebraska faces No. 2 Ohio State in its next dual Sunday at 1 p.m. at John Cook Arena.
No. 4 Iowa 22, No. 6 Nebraska 14
125: Joey Cruz dec. Alan Koehler, 4-2 (IOWA 3, NEB 0)
133: #10 Drake Ayala dec. #8 Jacob Van Dee, 12-6 (IOWA 6, NEB 0)
141: #3 Brock Hardy dec. #10 Nasir Bailey, 1-0 (IOWA 6, NEB 3)
149: #17 Ryder Block pinned #14 Chance Lamer (IOWA 12, NEB 3)
157: #5 Antrell Taylor dec. Jordan Williams, 2-1 (IOWA 12, NEB 6)
165: #3 Michael Caliendo maj. dec. #7 LJ Araujo, 14-4 (IOWA 16, NEB 6)
174: #3 Patrick Kennedy dec. #6 Christopher Minto, 2-1 (IOWA 19, NEB 6)
184: Gabe Arnold dec. #7 Silas Allred, 4-1 (IOWA 22, NEB 6)
197: #9 Camden McDanel tech fall Brody Sampson, 20-5 (IOWA 22, NEB 11)
HWT: #4 AJ Ferrari dec. #8 Ben Kueter, 4-1 (IOWA 22, NEB 14)
