Tony Valek (FY, Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West), ranked No. 7 at 141 pounds, and Zach Molitor (SO, Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS), ranked No. 7 at 184, both claimed pins for Augsburg (8-2 overall), with Molitor recording a first-period pin (1:41) to improve to 21-6 overall, and Valek claiming a second-period pin (4:16) to improve to 23-7 on the season.
The victory is the latest in a stretch of matches against higher-division and nationally ranked opponents for the Auggies. Nine of Augsburg's final 11 dual meets are against nationally-ranked opponents in Divisions II and III. In its three remaining duals, Augsburg will have a rematch with No. 2-ranked Wartburg (Iowa) this Friday (1/30) at 7:30 p.m. at Si Melby Hall; a meet at Minnesota State Moorhead, the No. 19-ranked team in Division II, on Feb. 1; and a meet with Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the No. 8-ranked team in Division III, on Feb. 13.
Augsburg has won all four dual meets in its history with Wisconsin-La Crosse (17-6 overall), dating to the 2003-04 season. Augsburg is now 235-21 against Divisions II and III teams since the 1989-90 season, losing just 16 matches to non-Division I opponents since the 1995-96 season. Against strictly Division III opponents, Augsburg is 240-23 since the 1979-80 season and 164-13 since the 1989-90 season.
After an opening loss at 125, the Auggies claimed wins in six straight bouts to take a commanding 26-4 lead over the Eagles. At 133-pounds, Augsburg's top-ranked Travis Lang (SR, Bismarck, N.D.) remained unbeaten at 27-0 with his 24th bonus-point victory, a 21-10, major-decision win over Pat Parrillo (SR, Naperville, Ill./North HS), building a 15-2 lead after two periods and surviving a wild third period of action. This season, Lang now has 16 pins, three technical falls, four major decisions and a forfeit.
In a battle of two top-five-rated wrestlers, Augsburg's top-ranked 149-pounder, Willy Holst (SR, Prescott, Wis.), rallied from a 1-0 second-period deficit with an escape, takedown and 1:46 of riding time to score a 4-2 victory over Matt Mauseth (SO, Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS), ranked No. 4 nationally. Holst is now 14-1 on the season, while Mauseth is now 15-4.
Jason Adams (SO, Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata HS), ranked No. 5 nationally at 157, took adavantage of three takedowns, a reversal and a three-point near-fall to claim a 13-5, major-decision win over Ryan Farwell (SO, Plattsburg, Mo.), to improve to 26-4 on the season. Beau Hansen (SO, Albert Lea, Minn.) claimed a 3-0 decision victory for the Auggies at 165, and in another battle of ranked wrestlers, Augsburg's No. 2-rated 197-pounder, Jared Massey (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS), improved to 16-1 on the season with an 8-2 win over No. 7-ranked Andy Moore (Jr, Delafield, Wis./Heritage Christian HS).
All three of Wisconsin-La Crosse's victories came via major decisions, including a win in a battle of ranked wrestlers at heavyweight, where No. 7-ranked Dan Laurent (JR, Mishicot, Wis.) scored a 9-1 win over Augsburg's No. 4-ranked Andy Witzel (JR, Fulda, Minn.). No. 7-ranked Josh Zabel (SR, Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS) scored a 12-2 win over Augsburg's Brad Baus (FY, Mukwonago, Wis.) at 184, and at 125, Jonny Brennan (FY, Mt. Prospect, Ill./Prospect HS) claimed a 22-8 win over Freddie Vigil (JR, Bakersfield, Calif./South HS).
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