Michigan State University
Nebraska
Michigan State Falls to No. 10 Nebraska
2/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Senior Nick McDiarmid pinned 15th-ranked Aaron Studebaker at 197 pounds with just nine seconds remaining the match, but the Michigan State wrestling team fell to No. 10 Nebraska, 33-6, Sunday afternoon at Jenison Field House. It marked MSU's (4-10, 0-7 Big Ten) seventh consecutive ranked opponent at home and ninth of the season.
"I was proud of our team - I thought the guys top-to-bottom competed hard," said MSU head coach Tom Minkel. "Everybody did everything they could against another great team. We've had an incredibly tough stretch of opponents. Our mission is to keep our kids on task, upbeat and positive. We need to make sure they stay resilient as we move forward."
The dual began at 125 pounds, as 10th-ranked Tim Lambert of Nebraska (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) defeated Mitch Rogaliner, 7-1. Rogaliner trailed just 2-1 entering the third period, but Lambert pulled away in the final stanza and racked up 3:38 up riding time to earn the 7-1 decision. Eric Montoya followed with a 9-3 decision over Garth Yenter in the 133 bout.
At 141 pounds, Javier Gasca returned to the starting lineup following a month absence due to a knee injury, but was pinned by No. 8 Anthony Abidin in the second period (4:27). Gasca, who started the season at 133 pounds and was ranked as high as No. 11 in the national rankings, had wrestled in just one dual (Jan. 11 vs. Michigan) since Nov. 23. Abidin was leading 8-3 when he caught Gasca and flipped him on his back for the fall.
"Javier's not 100 percent yet, but at least he can compete," remarked Minkel. "He's wearing a knee brace, and for a guy who's fast and flexible, the last thing you want is an anchor on your leg. There were flashes of his speed, but clearly he's not at full speed yet.
"And the second thing is he's up a weight class, and there's an adjustment there too. Plus, he's not been able to train much the past couple of months. You put all of those things together, and you're wrestling a guy (Abidin) ranked eighth, it can be tough. Javier fought hard, but he just couldn't sustain it for the entire match. But if he can stay reasonably healthy, he's going to be fine."
Nick Trimble battled in a hard-fought match at 149, but dropped a 6-2 decision to Justin Arthur that went down to the final minute. Following a scoreless first period, Trimble gave up an escape point to start the second, but rallied with a takedown 15 seconds later to take a 2-1 lead. Arthur bounced back with a takedown of his own to take a 3-2 lead into the third, and tallied another takedown with 41 seconds left in the match to go up, 5-2. He added a riding-time point (1:39) to claim the 6-2 victory.
In the final match before intermission, three-time All-American and fourth-ranked James Green recorded a 23-8 technical fall against Travis Curley at 157 pounds.
In his first start of the season, Matt Pasqualini got off to a fast start in the 165-pound bout with a takedown just 20 seconds into the match. Nebraska's Austin Wilson rallied to take a 3-2 lead after the first period and came away with the 12-2 major decision with four takedowns in the second and third periods.
Defending Big Ten Champion and top-ranked Robert Kokesh recorded a 14-1 major decision over Nick Proctor at 174 pounds, and No. 18 TJ Dudley beat John Rizqallah, 7-3, at 184 pounds. Rizqallah and Dudley were tied at 3 midway through the third period, but Dudley got a takedown with 25 seconds left in the eventual four-point decision.
The 197-pound match was a close one the entire way, and ended with McDiarmid pinning No. 15 Aaron Studebaker with only nine seconds left. After a scoreless first, McDiarmid held down Studebaker for 1:02 to start the second before giving up the escape point. In the closing seconds of the final period, McDiarmid kept battling for position after being on the bottom and eventually caught Studebaker in a defensive stance and put him on his back for the pin.
"I talked with Nick quite a bit this week about how he's got to keep better position and he's got to wrestle the entire match," said Minkel. "A lot of times, you're in a tough match against a highly ranked opponent and it's easy to go, `I can't do this.' But you have to stay on task, keep fighting and keep working. I think that was a nice payoff for the work he's been putting in."
No. 17 Collin Jensen defeated Chris Nash, 8-1, in the final match of the dual at heavyweight.
Michigan State will hit the road next weekend to finish up the Big Ten dual season. The Spartans will tangle with Indiana on Friday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. and Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.
No. 10 Nebraska 33, Michigan State 6
125: No. 10 Tim Lambert (NU) dec. Mitch Rogaliner (MSU), 7-1 (RT 3:38). NU leads, 3-0
133: Eric Montoya (NU) dec. Garth Yenter (MSU), 9-3 (RT 1:58). NU leads, 6-0
141: No. 8 Anthony Abidin (NU) pinned Javier Gasca (MSU), 4:27. NU leads, 12-0
149: Justin Arthur (NU) dec. Nick Trimble (MSU), 6-2 (RT 1:39). NU leads, 15-0
157: No. 4 James Green (NU) tech. fall Travis Curley (MSU), 23-8 (6:01). NU leads, 20-0
165: Austin Wilson (NU) major dec. Matt Pasqualini (MSU), 12-2. NU leads, 24-0
174: No. 1 Robert Kokesh (NU) major dec. Nick Proctor (MSU), 14-1. NU leads, 28-0
184: No. 18 TJ Dudley (NU) dec. John Rizqallah (MSU), 7-3 (RT 1:56). NU leads, 31-0
197: Nick McDiarmid (MSU) pinned No. 15 Aaron Studebaker (NU), 6:51; Nebraska deducted one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct. NU leads, 30-6
HWT: No. 17 Collin Jensen (NU) dec. Chris Nash (MSU), 8-1 (RT 4:00). Nebraska wins, 33-6
Attendance: 219
Players Mentioned
