No. 25 Wyoming 35, North Dakota State 3
LARAMIE, Wyo. – No. 25 Wyoming won nine of the 10 bouts en route to a 35-3 win over the North Dakota State wrestling team on Sunday, Jan. 30. The Bison fall to 7-3 overall and 1-3 in the Western Wrestling Conference while Wyoming is 9-4 overall and 3-0 in WWC action.
157-pounder Vince Salminen was the lone Bison to win today, claiming a 7-1 decision over Jimmy Belleville. Salminen’s takedown and two-point near fall in the first period gave him an early lead he never relinquished.
The dual opened with a battle of two ranked wrestlers as No. 17 Trent Sprenkle took on No. 18 Michael Martinez at 125 pounds. After a scoreless first period, Martinez notched an escape and takedown in the second to take a 3-0 lead. Sprenkle tallied an escape in the final period, but was unable to score the tying points as Martinez claimed the 3-1 win, snapping Sprenkle’s seven match win streak.
After a Tyler Cox technical fall of Justin Solberg at 133 pounds, Trevor Johnson dropped a close 3-1 decision to Chase Smith at 141 pounds. Smith’s second period reversal gave him the lead and he clinched the win with a point for riding time.
At 149 pounds, No. 18 Cole Dallaserra claimed a 8-4 win over NDSU’s Mark Erickson. The NDSU sophomore tallied three of his points in the final period, but was unable to complete a comeback. Salminen posted NDSU’s only win of the day at 157 pounds in the next bout.
Steven Monk battled No. 4 Shane Onufer at 165 pounds, giving the top-five wrestler all he could handle. After a scoreless first period, Onufer scored a takedown in the second period and a reversal in the third to claim a 5-1 win.
Tyler Johnson moved up a weight class to 174 pounds, but dropped a 14-5 major decision to Patrick Martinez. Tyler Wells competed at 184 pounds for the Bison, but No. 5 Joe LeBlanc notched Wyoming’s second technical fall of the day, winning 20-4. Kenny Moenkedick also moved up from 184 pounds to 197 pounds for today’s dual. Moenkedick fell to L.J. Helbig, 6-3. In the day’s final bout, Jack Tennant pinned Drew Ross in 2:57.
The Bison now have a week off before continuing WWC action at South Dakota State Friday, Feb. 11.
Wyoming 35 North Dakota State 3
125: #18 Michael Martinez (WYO) dec. #17 Trent Sprenkle, 31
133: Tyler Cox (WYO) tech. fall Justin Solberg, 18-2
141: Chase Smith (WYO) dec. Trevor Johnson, 3-1
149: #18 Cole Dallaserra (WYO) dec. Mark Erickson, 8-4
157: Vince Salminen (NDSU) dec. Jimmy Belleville, 7-1
165: #4 Shane Onufer (WYO) dec. Steven Monk, 5-1
174: Patrick Martinez (WYO) maj. dec. Tyler Johnson, 14-5
184: #5 Joe LeBlanc (WYO) tech. fall Tyler Wells, 20-4
197: L.J. Helbig (WYO) dec. Kenny Moenkedick, 6-3
Hwt: Jack Tennant (WYO) fall Drew Ross, 2:57