The No. 5 Nebraska wrestling team overcame two bonus-point losses in its dual at No. 11 Illinois to win, 28-11, Friday in Champaign, Ill. The Cornhuskers reeled off eight straight wins after the initial 11-point set back to take the dual.
The comeback started at 141 pounds with Brock Hardy, who finished his 20-4 technical fall win over Will Baysinger with 30 seconds to go in the match. Chance Lamer followed with a 5-2 decision victory over Michael Gioffre at 149 pounds. In the match of the night at 157 pounds, No. 3 Antrell Taylor earned a 4-2 decision win over No. 9 Kannon Webster, tying the dual at 11 midway through. Decision wins followed at 165 pounds (by No. 7 LJ Araujo), at 174 pounds (by No. 4 Christopher Minto) and at 184 pounds (by No. 6 Silas Allred), giving Nebraska a 20-11 lead. The Huskers finished the dual with a flourish, with back-to-back bonus-point triumphs. No. 9 Camden McDanel won at 197 pounds by major decision over Cade Lautt, 15-4, clinching the dual win. And at heavyweight, No. 4 AJ Ferrari punctuated the night with an 11-4 major decision victory over No. 13 Luke Luffman.
The Huskers now head to No. 20 Indiana for the final Big Ten dual of the year Sunday starting at 11 a.m.
No. 5 Nebraska 28, No. 11 Illinois 11
125: #16 Spencer Moore pinned Kael Lauridsen 3:57 (ILL 6, NEB 0)
133: #1 Lucas Byrd tech. fall Alan Koehler 17-2 (5:59) (ILL 11, NEB 0)
141: #4 Brock Hardy tech. fall Will Baysingar 20-4 (6:31) (ILL 11, NEB 5)
149: #20 Chance Lamer dec. #30 Michael Gioffre 5-2 (ILL 11, NEB 8)
157: #3 Antrell Taylor dec. #9 Kannon Webster 4-2 (NEB 11, ILL 11)
165: #7 LJ Araujo dec. #8 Braeden Scoles 8-5 (NEB 14, ILL 11)
174: #4 Christopher Minto dec. #25 Colin Kelly 4-1 (NEB 17, ILL 11)
184: #6 Silas Allred dec. #18 Chris Moore 7-1 (NEB 20, ILL 11)
197: #9 Camden McDanel major dec. Cade Lautt 15-4 (NEB 24, ILL 11)
HWT: #4 AJ Ferrari major dec. #13 Luke Luffman 11-4 (NEB 28, ILL 11)