The Gophers fall to 1-2 on the season as head back home to host Northwestern on Sunday
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Minnesota wrestling program fell to the top-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena by a score of 22-10 on Friday evening. The Gophers won three out of ten matches in the dual.
Action got started at 165 pounds as Cael Carlson got the start against fourth-ranked Marinelli. Carlson opened the match up with the first takedown, but Marinelli came back and secured the winning takedown in the final minute to secure the decision.
After Minnesota dropped the next three bouts, Gable Steveson put the Gophers on the board with a 17-7 major decision over No. 5 Tony Cassioppi. Gable dominated on the feet, scoring seven takedowns in the bout to take the top-5 showdown. Following the match, Steveson saluted the Carver-Hawkeye crowd as the Hawkeye faithful gave him a standing ovation in his final match in Iowa City.
Out of the break, Patrick McKee spoiled the debut of Iowa’s Drake Ayala, defeating the freshman for the third time this season with an 8-6 decision. McKee secured two pivotal takedowns in the match to take the win, including one that went feet to back to put a four-point swing into the match.
The Hawkeyes took the next three bouts, but Brayton Lee closed out the dual by defeating No. 10 Kaleb Young at 157 pounds. Young scored the opening takedown off of a scramble, but Brayton stormed back with constant pressure and finished a low double with 30 seconds left to take a 4-3 lead and win the match.
Following the dual loss, the Gophers fall to 1-2 on the season, while Iowa jumps to 7-0. Minnesota has a quick turnaround as they travel back home to Minneapolis to host the No. 23 Northwestern Wildcats on Sunday, Jan. 9 at 1:00 p.m. CT.
No. 1 Iowa (22), No. 14 Minnesota (10)
165: No. 4 Alex Marinelli (IOWA) dec. Cael Carlson (MINN), 6-5
174: No. 2 Michael Kemerer (IOWA) dec. Bailee O’Reilly (MINN), 9-2
184: No. 19 Abe Assad (IOWA) maj. Dec. Sam Skillings (MINN), 12-4
197: No. 3 Jacob Warner (IOWA) dec. Michial Foy (MINN), 6-4
HWT: No. 1 Gable Steveson (MINN) maj. dec. No. 5 Tony Cassioppi (IOWA), 17-7
125: No. 5 Patrick McKee (MINN) dec. Drake Ayala (IOWA), 8-6
133: No. 3 Austin DeSanto (IOWA) dec. No. 21 Jake Gliva (MINN), 7-5
141: No. 2 Jaydin Eierman (IOWA) dec No. 13 Jake Bergeland (MINN), 5-2
149: No. 10 Max Murin (IOWA) dec. No. 23 Michael Blockhus (MINN), 3-1
157: No. 5 Brayton Lee (MINN) dec. No. 10 Kaleb Young (IOWA), 4-3
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