Trailing 15-12 after eight bouts to the No. 11-ranked Johnnies, the No. 1-ranked Auggies scored two key wins to close the match and preserve the win, improving to 8-0 on the season while sending the Johnnies to 9-7 in dual meets.
Top-ranked and defending 197-pound national champion Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS) scored five takedowns and a two-point near-fall to claim a 14-4, major-decision win over the Johnnies' Tony Willaert (JR, North Mankato, Minn./Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial HS) to put the Auggies ahead 16-15.
In the final bout of the evening, No. 7-ranked heavyweight Andy Witzel (SR, Fulda, Minn.) scored a takedown with 1:05 left in the third period to break a 1-1 tie, en route to a 3-2 win over the Johnnies' Cody Socher (SO, Delano, Minn.), giving the Auggies the 19-15 win.
Both teams won five matches on the evening, and the three early Auggie wins -- two by bonus-point margins -- proved to be key for the dual-meet win. Opening the match, Augsburg's Josh Roberts (SO, Grand Forks, N.D./Central HS) dominated in a 17-4, major-decision win at 125, and at 133, No. 6-ranked Paul Bjorkstrand (SR, Burnsville, Minn.) scored an 11-5 win over No. 2-ranked Mogi Baatar (SR, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.) HS), scoring two three-point near-falls in the third period to break a 5-5 tie. Bjorkstrand is now 19-5 on the season.
At 157, No. 5-ranked Jason Adams (SR, Coon Rapids, Minn.) improved to 24-2 on the season with a 17-1, third-period technical-fall victory, taking advantage of three takedowns, a reversal and three 3-point near-falls to score the win.
The Johnnies won two battles of ranked wrestlers on the evening, as No. 2-ranked and defending national champion Minga Batsukh (JR, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia/St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.) scored a 4-2 win over Augsburg's No. 5-ranked Jafari Vanier (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), and No. 9-ranked Matt Pfarr (SO, Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson HS) scored an 8-5, overtime win over Augsburg's No. 3-ranked Zach Molitor (JR, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS).
Against opponents from Divisions II and III since 1989-90, Augsburg is now 246-21, having lost just 16 matches to non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 campaign. Against strictly Division III opponents, Augsburg is now 248-23 since the 1979-80 season and 172-13 since the 1989-90 season.
Both teams are scheduled to compete at the Northwestern (Iowa) Open in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday (1/16) at 9 a.m. The Augsburg White Team (junior varsity) will compete at the Minnesota West CTC-Worthington Open on Saturday.
Results:
125 -- Josh Roberts (AUG, 8-6) maj. dec. Scott Padrnos (SJU, 4-6) 17-4 (Augsburg 4-0).
133 -- No. 6 Paul Bjorkstrand (AUG, 19-5) dec. No. 2 Mogi Baatar (SJU, 14-3) 11-5 (Augsburg 7-0).
141 -- No. 2 Minga Batsuka (SJU, 4-1) dec. No. 5 Jafari Vanier (AUG, 2-2) 4-2 (Augsburg 7-3).
149 -- Drew Larson (SJU, 7-6) dec. Lucas Murray (AUG, 8-6) 5-2 (Augsburg 7-6).
157 -- No. 5 Jason Adams (AUG, 24-2) tech. fall John Vaith (SJU, 4-8) 17-1 at 5:24 (Augsburg 12-6).
165 -- Matt Baarson (SJU, 14-2) dec. No. 6 Orlando Ponce (AUG, 18-8) 4-3 (Augsburg 12-9).
174 -- No. 9 Matt Pfarr (SJU, 11-4) dec. No. 3 Zach Molitor (AUG, 15-3) 8-5 (OT-TB2) (TIED 12-12).
184 -- James Carlson (SJU, 4-5) dec. Caleb Lines (AUG, 10-11) 11-7 (St. John's 15-12).
197 -- No. 1 Jared Massey (AUG, 14-0) maj. dec. Tony Willaert (SJU, 9-4) 14-4 (Augsburg 16-15).
HWT -- No. 7 Andy Witzel (AUG, 15-5) dec. Cody Socher (SJU, 6-3) 3-2 (Augsburg 19-15).
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