Last match a close one
American takes heavyweight along with match
The Bison grapplers tried to end the season on a winning note Monday night, wrestling against a tough American University squad.
NDSU, who had just come off of losses to No. 24 Northern Illinois and No. 25 Northern Iowa, could not quite edge out American, who had been ranked earlier in the year, dropping the match 16-20.
The paring of the night came at 184 pounds, during which Matt Wetterling had an early 3-2 lead over Josh Glenn, who was ranked No. 1 in the nation, before dropping the match 13-3.
“ This shows me where I need to be,” Wetterling said about facing the top wrestler in the nation. “I’m going to keep working and try to come back better next year.”
Earlier in the dual, Eric Sanders defeated American’s Jordan Lipp and became the only Bison wrestler to remain undefeated in home duals this season.
NDSU led American 9-4 following Sanders’ victory
The Bison lost three consecutive matches before Matt Hermann’s marathon match.
Hermann beat his opponent after taking him to four extra periods and wrestling nearly 11 minutes.
Bryce’s major decision brought the Bison within one point before the final match of the night, the heavyweight.
Mike Maresh faced No. 10 Adam LoPiccolo, but lost 4-1 after LoPiccolo got around him while he was taking a shot at the end of the match.
Maresh, who was an All-American in high school, said wrestling the best in the country has changed since his high school days.
“ It’s a lot more intense in college,” Maresh said. “In high school you might be able to get away with being a little lazy or making a small mistake, but they take advantage of that at this level.”
NDSU head coach Bucky Maughan was pleased with how his team looked, but that’s just what happens when a transition team is faced against a group of seniors and ranked wrestlers.
“ We just have to fill some holes and get a little tougher and we’ll have a good team,” Maughan said after the match.
That line of thinking doesn’t stop in Fargo.
“ If this is what you guys consider transition, then I want no part of you in three years,“ American coach Mark Cody told Maughan.