Jacks run winning streak to seven
Led by pins from Connor Gaynor and Tanner Sloan, the South Dakota State wrestling team ran its dual winning streak to seven matches with a 29-12 victory over Utah Valley Friday night at Frost Arena.
The 18th-ranked Jackrabbits improved to 8-2 overall and 2-0 against Big 12 Conference opponents. UVU dropped to 1-6 overall and 1-3 versus league foes.
SDSU got out of the gates quickly, building a 14-0 lead through the first three matches. Alek Martin started off with a 9-7, sudden victory over Isaiah Delgado in the 149-pound weight class. Martin trailed 5-2 through two periods before forcing overtime by scoring on a reversal and takedown, with the tying point coming on a riding-time advantage. Martin then scored on a takedown 24 seconds into the extra session.
Redshirt freshmen Cael Swensen and Gaynor followed with bonus-point wins for the Jackrabbits. Swensen, ranked 24th at 157 pounds, posted a 15-0 technical fall over Kyler Lake for his ninth win in his last ten matches.
Gaynor, who was wrestling in a collegiate dual for the first time, needed only 48 seconds to pin the Wolverines’ Danny Snediker while filling in for 15th-ranked Tanner Cook at 165 pounds.
UVU got on the board with a victory between ranked wrestlers in the 174-pound bout as No. 7 Demetrius Romero outlasted 15th-ranked Cade DeVos, 4-2.
After Cade King closed the first half of the dual with a 3-2 decision at 184 pounds, the Jackrabbits put the dual away with victories from Sloan and A.J. Nevills, who both ran their dual records this season to 9-0. Sloan pinned Jack Forbes in 4 minutes, 55 seconds at 197 pounds, while Nevills posted a 2-0 decision over Chase Trussell.
The Wolverines won two of the final three matches, picking up a fall from Kase Mauger at 125 pounds and Ty Smith knocking off ninth-ranked Clay Carlson, 7-6, at 141 pounds.
Derrick Cardinal tallied the final victory for SDSU, notching a 5-0 decision over Kobe Nelms in the 133-pound matchup.
UP NEXT
A small group of Jackrabbit wrestlers is expected to compete Saturday at the Worthington Open in Worthington, Minnesota. SDSU returns to dual action Sunday by hosting Wyoming in a noon start at Frost Arena.
NOTES
- The Jackrabbits took a 9-8 lead in the series dating back to the 2005-06 season
- SDSU has won eight duals in a row in the series
- Sloan improved to 44-4 in career dual matches
- Attendance was 812
South Dakota State 29, Utah Valley 12
149: Alek Martin (SDSU) dec. Isaiah Delgado (UVU), 9-7 [SV-1]
157: #23 Cael Swensen (SDSU) tech. fall Kyler Lake (UVU), 15-0 [6:49]
165: Connor Gaynor (SDSU) def. Danny Snediker (UVU), by fall 0:48
174: #7 Demetrius Romero (UVU) dec. #15 Cade DeVos (SDSU), 4-2
184: #17 Cade King (SDSU) dec. Hunter Morse (UVU), 3-2
197: #12 Tanner Sloan (SDSU) def. Jack Forbes (UVU), by fall 4:55
285: #14 A.J. Nevills (SDSU) dec. Chase Trussell (UVU), 2-0
125: Kase Mauger (UVU) def. #26 Tanner Jordan (SDSU), by fall 3:50
133: Derrick Cardinal (SDSU) dec. Kobe Nelms (UVU), 5-0
141: Ty Smith (UVU) dec. #9 Clay Carlson (SDSU), 7-6
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