In front of a record crowd of 7,094 fans at John Cook Arena, the No. 6 Nebraska wrestling team lost to No. 5 Oklahoma State, 22-11, in the team’s second dual meeting in the last month. At the NWCA National Duals, the Cowboys defeated the Cornhuskers, 33-6.
Oklahoma State got on the board with a major decision win at 125 pounds, as Troy Spratley defeated Kael Lauridsen, 12-4. Jacob Van Dee answered for NU with a 4-1 decision win over Ronnie Ramirez, cutting the Cowboys’ lead in the dual to 4-3. But at 141 pounds, Brock Hardy was pinned by Sergio Vega midway through the first period. A decision win by Casey Swiderski over Chance Lamer at 149 pounds, 7-2, pushed Oklahoma State’s lead in the dual to 13-3.
At 157 pounds, Antrell Taylor gutted out a 3-2 victory over Landon Robideau in the tiebreaker period. The 165-pound match also went to overtime, but this time, OSU’s LaDarion Lockett defeated LJ Araujo in the sudden-victory period, 4-1, to push the Cowboys’ lead in the dual to 16-6. Back-to-back decision wins by the Huskers’ Christopher Minto at 174 pounds (over Alex Facundo, 4-1) and Silas Allred at 184 pounds (over Zach Ryder, 4-2), pushed NU backed into the dual, as Nebraska cut Oklahoma State’s lead in the dual to 16-12. But at 197 pounds, OSU’s Cody Merrill clinched the dual with a 2-1 win over Cameron McDanel. At heavyweight, Konner Doucet topped Cade Ziola, 2-1. Cowboys wrestlers won six of the 10 matches of the dual.
Nebraska will break for Christmas, then return to action on Saturday, Jan. 3 at home against Northern Iowa. The dual begins at 6 p.m., starting a stretch where the Huskers have four of five duals at home.