FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State wrestling's comeback against Virginia fell short as the Bison dropped a 21-18 dual to the Cavaliers on Saturday, Dec. 2, inside the Scheels Center.
After the Bison picked up a win from
Carlos Negrete Jr. in the opening match, Virginia won the next four matches to take a 15-3 lead. NDSU would secure pins in two of the next three matches and then tied it at 197 pounds before falling in a winner-take-all final.
Negrete scored an early takedown in the 125-pound match and then added a four-point near fall in the third period as he defeated Kyle Montaperto by an 8-2 decision.
Gavin Drexler fell in a tight battle at 141 pounds with #22 Jack Gioffre. Drexler had a reversal and a takedown, but fell 7-5 to Gioffre.
Max Petersen then fell in overtime to #27 Michael Gioffre. Petersen had a reversal, while Gioffre had two escapes to get into the overtime, but Gioffre scored a takedown in the extra period.
Coming out of halftime,
Brendan Howes jumpstarted the Bison comeback bid as he secured a takedown and then pinned Nick Hamilton at 2:06 for his first career fall in a dual in the 165-pound match. After a win for Virginia at 174,
Adam Cherne made his Scheels Center dual debut and capped it off with a pin of Hudson Stewart at 1:07 to bring the Bison to within three.
Spencer Mooberry then came from behind and secured two third period takedowns and the final three overall to win 12-9 in the highest scoring match of the night to force the winner-take-all final.
The Bison will be back in action next Sunday, as the Herd makes a trip to the Twin Cities for the first time since 2011 to face Minnesota in dual action. NDSU is slated for a 2 p.m. start against the Gophers at the Maturi Pavilion, with the dual being streamed live on B1G+.
Full Results:
Virginia 21, North Dakota State 18
Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 | Scheels Center | Fargo, N.D. | Attendance: 304
125:
Carlos Negrete Jr. (NDSU) over Kyle Montaperto (UVA); Dec 8-2
133: #30 Marlon Yarbrough (UVA) over
Fernando Barreto (NDSU); Fall 1:46
141: #22 Jack Gioffre (UVA) over #30
Gavin Drexler (NDSU); Dec 7-5
149: #27 Michael Gioffre (UVA) over Maxwell Petersen (NDSU); SV-1 5-2
157: Dylan Cedeno (UVA) over
Landen Johnson (NDSU); Dec 7-0
165:
Brendan Howes (NDSU) over Nick Hamilton (UVA); Fall 2:06
174: #8 Justin McCoy (UVA) over
Gaven Sax (NDSU); Dec 4-3
184:
Adam Cherne (NDSU) over Hudson Stewart (UVA); Fall 1:07
197:
Spencer Mooberry (NDSU) over Colden Dorfman (UVA); Dec 12-9
285: Ryan Catka (UVA) over
Devon Dawson (NDSU); Dec 8-2
