From the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Cyclones push winning streak to 12
By DICK KELLY, Courier Correspondent
AMES — Bonus points made the difference again as Iowa State extended its winning streak to 12 matches with a 26-15 win over Northern Iowa in front of 2,881 fans Saturday night.
Scott Coleman won by a fall, Kurt Backes won by a technical fall and Nate Gallick and Travis Paulson earned major decisions for the Cyclones.
“They wrestled well, they did a real good job, “said Iowa State assistant coach Chris Bono, speaking for head coach Bobby Douglas, who was ill and went home midway through the meet. “Ever since the (Tennessee-Chattanooga) meet I think they realized the potential they had and the possibility of a let-down. Every guy from top to bottom fought 110 percent tonight.”
Douglas wasn’t ISU’s only casualty on the night. Sophomore Travis Paulson, competing at 165 pounds, suffered a rib injury while trying to throw Nick Baima with one minute, 12 seconds left in the third period and was unable to continue. The match was tied 1-1 at the time.
Paulson used all of his injury time and then tried to go, but said he knew his night was over.
“When I twisted for that throw it popped and I was in a lot of pain, “Paulson said. “When I went to get up I had the worst pain ever, I almost collapsed. If I’d could have gone, I don’t think I’d have wrestled very well.”
Bono said he was particularly pleased with the performances of 197-pound Trevor Smith and 133-pound Jesse Sundell.
Smith, who had lost Sean Stender twice this season, lost again, 6-4, but kept the match close all the way. Smith overcame a 3-1 deficit and tied the match at 4 with a stalling call against Stender, but the UNI senior got a takedown with 25 seconds left to get his 23rd win of the season against four losses.
Sundell dropped an 8-4 decision to Jeremy Meyer at the Midlands Tournament, but rebounded with a 13-7 win Saturday. Sundell (7-8) never trailed after a reversal and two near-fall points late in the second period gave him a 6-5 lead.
“I knew if I could get out there and get a win it would be a step in the right track, “Sundell said. “The main thing was just trying to keep pressure on (Meyer) and not let him get to me and get takedowns.”
The meet began at 165 pounds and UNI grabbed a 6-0 lead on Paulson’s default. The Panthers went ahead 9-0 after Eric Hauan took Nick Passolano down with 16 seconds left in overtime and then added three back points for a 7-2 win.
Iowa State came back on Kurt Backes’ 20-5 technical fall win over Alex Dolly, but Stender’s win put the Panthers on top 12-5.
Scott Coleman made it a 1-point meet after pinning Michael Shedek in 2:16.
Iowa State took the lead for good on Grant Nakamura,s 11-4 win against Chris Helgeson at 125 pounds and padded its advantage after Sundell’s win.
Gallick, ranked first nationally at 141 pounds, stayed unbeaten at 17-0 with a 13-2 win against C.J. Ettelson.
UNI (3-4), notched its win in the 149-pound match where Jeff Harrison used six takedowns, an escape, a stalling point, two back points and 1:57 in riding time to beat Jason Knipp, 17-5.
Iowa State closed out the meet with Trent Paulson’s 14-4 win against Chris Bitetto at 157 pounds.
“They all did a good job, “Bono said. “Up and down the lineup they all did what we asked of them. I can’t really single anyone out because they all fought. Whether they won or lost, they did what we asked of them. That#,s all we can ask for.”
UNI coach Brad Penrith said Iowa State#,s experience was the difference.
“Some of their guys just have a little more experience on us, “Penrith said. “We wrestled very well the first half, then we came out a little flat. It was like we weren’t eager enough. It’s like we weren’t hungry. We didn’t have that fire in our belly.”
Penrith said Helgeson wasn’t wrestling with a sense or urgency and that Meyer made too many mistakes.
“There was a lot of rolling around and getting caught, “Penrith said. “That was a match we were favored it. We got out-experienced tonight. (Iowa State) is a darn good team.”
Iowa State hosts Lock Haven and Stanford on Friday. Northern Iowa will travel to Cleveland, Ohio, for the National Duals next Saturday and Sunday.
165 ” Nick Baima, UNI, dec. Travis Paulson, injury default, 5:48; 174 ” Eric Hauan, UNI, dec. Nick Passolano, 7-2 (OT); 184 ” Kurt Backes, ISU, tech. fall Alex Dolly, 20-5, 5:32; 197 ” Sean Stender, UNI, dec. Trevor Smith, 6-4; Hwt ” Scott Coleman, ISU, pinned Michael Shedek, 2:16; 125 ” Grant Nakamura, ISU, dec. Chris Helgeson, 11-4; 133 ” Jesse Sundell, ISU, dec. Jeremy Meyer, 13-7; 141 ” Nate Gallick, ISU, maj. dec. C.J. Ettelson, 13-2; 149 ” Jeff Harrison, UNI, maj. dec Jason Knipp, 17-5; 157 ” Trent Paulson, ISU, maj. dec. Chris Bitetto, 14-4.
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