CHICAGO – In a night full of tight matches, the University of Chicago wrestling team saw the clutch moments go the other direction as North Central College prevailed 22-15 on Wednesday.
The Maroons evened their dual meet record at 3-3 while the No. 10-ranked Cardinals improved to 11-4.
Wednesday marked the final home meet for eight UChicago seniors – Steve Bonsall, Nick Carola, Caleb Jeffreys, Kahlan Lee-Lermer, Grant Morrison, Kyle Peisker, Adam Rizk and Matt Shoub. The senior class was recognized on the mat prior to the starting lineup introductions.
Action kicked off at 149 pounds on the evening, with North Central prevailing 12-4. The two sides then exchanged decision victories. Bonsall got his team on the board with an 8-3 win at 157 pounds. NCC eked out a 5-3 decision of its own at 165 pounds. Peisker would even up the team score with a 18-7 major decision, pushing his win streak to nine in-a-row.
A pair of swing matches at 184 pounds and 197 pounds proved the difference. Sophomore Ben Sarasin put up his undefeated record (16-0) against Cody Baldridge. They had faced off earlier this season at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Invite, which Sarasin captured 3-1. This time around, Baldridge scored the winning takedown on the edge of the map in the final 10 seconds to upset Sarasin, 6-4.
At 197, Carola locked in a cradle in the third period against his opponent and was moments away from a pin. But North Central's Ben Bergen was able to wiggle his way out of the potential fall and eventually repositioned to score a reverse on Carola. Bergen held onto top position in the dying seconds to win 8-7.
UChicago first-year Cole Fibranz then came through at heavyweight. He downed his opponent 9-5 for his eighth-straight victory.
A forfeit at 125 pounds and a narrow 5-3 decision at 133 pounds clinched the evening for the Cardinals. First-year Ryan Fleck concluded the proceedings with a dominating 19-3 technical fall at 141 pounds.
"North Central deserved to win because they won some very close matches," said Head Coach Leo Kocher. "They grabbed four bouts that went all the way down to the wire. We're not quite there, but we're not far away."
North Central 22, UChicago 15
125 – Enzo Silva (NCC) won via forfeit
133 – Robbie Precin (NCC) def. Griffin Seyfried (UC), 5-3 decision
141 – Ryan Fleck (UC) def. Isaac Martinez (NCC), 19-3 technical fall (6:07)
149 – Anthony Rink (NCC) def. Grant Morrison (UC), 12-4 major decision
157 – Steve Bonsall (UC) def. Rafael Roman (NCC), 8-3 decision
165 – Jacob Boumans (NCC) def. Will Britain (UC), 5-3 decision
174 – Kyle Peisker (UC) def. Brock Montford (NCC), 18-7 major decision
184 – Cody Baldridge (NCC) def. Ben Sarasin (UC), 6-4 decision
197 – Ben Bergen (NCC) def. Nick Carola (UC), 8-7 decision
285 – Cole Fibranz (UC) def. Cameron Martin (NCC), 9-5 decision
NEXT MEET:
- Saturday, Jan. 18 @ 9:00 AM – UChicago at Elmhurst College Invitational
