For No. 20 Northwestern (8-2, 3-2 Big Ten), it was their first second win over a ranked squad in this upstart campaign. It was also NU's first victory over the Golden Gophers since January 20, 1996.
Deakin improved to 24-3 in his rookie campaign with his team-high sixth pin of the season, coming in only 2:45 against Benjamin Brancale. Deakin also is a perfect 10-0 in dual competition.
The Wildcats got back-to-back wins from No. 18 Johnny Sebastian (174) and Mitch Sliga (184) to start the dual, both via decisions. NU trailed by only two team points after Sliga's 7-2 win over the Golden Gophers' Dylan Anderson.
After intermission, Conan Jennings (285) came back with a vengeance to lead the Wildcats' surge. He shut out Minnesota's Rylee Streifel, 11-0, to earn the major decision and four team points.
Wrestling against Steven Polakowski, No. 10 Sebastian Rivera (125) continued NU's momentum. He dominated the Golden Gopher grappler from start-to-finish, earning another Wildcat major decision -- this one an 11-3 final. That gave Northwestern a 14-11 lead and improved Rivera's season mark to a sterling 20-1.
Deakin's final-bout pin of Brancale lifted NU to their 20-18 win over Minnesota.
This win was Northwestern's highest ranked victory since topping No. 14 Stanford, 27-8, on November 5, 2011.
Chicago's Big Ten Team improved to 3-2 in Big Ten competition with the victory. Northwestern's only two setbacks have come via a one-point loss to No. 14 Illinois and a tiebreaking criteria decision to No. 18 Nebraska.
NU is back at home next Friday, February 2, against No. 18 Rutgers in the home finale at historic Patten Gymnasium. Tickets are available at (888) GO-PURPLE or on NUsports.com.
Results:
157: #18 Jake Short (MINN) maj. dec. Shayne Oster (NU), 18-6 | MINN 4, NU 0
165: #7 Nick Wanzek (MINN) maj. dec. Michael Sepke (NU), 14-3 | MINN 8, NU 0
174: #18 Johnny Sebastian (NU) dec. Christopher Pfarr (MINN), 3-1 | MINN 8, NU 3
184: Mitch Sliga (NU) dec. Dylan Anderson (MINN), 7-2 | MINN 8, NU 6
197: Brandon Krone (MINN) dec. Zack Chakonis (NU), 8-4 | MINN 11, NU 6
285: Conan Jennings (NU) maj. dec. Rylee Streifel (MINN), 11-0 | MINN 11, NU 10
125: #10 Sebastian Rivera (NU) maj. dec. Steven Polakowski (MINN), 11-3 | NU 14, MINN 11
133: #12 Mitchell McKee (MINN) dec. #20 Colin Valdiviez (NU), 10-7 | NU 14, MINN 14
141: #10 Tommy Thorn (MINN) maj. dec. Alec McKenna (NU), 13-3 | MINN 18, NU 14
149: #5 Ryan Deakin (NU) Fall Benjamin Brancale (MINN), 2:45 | NU 20, MINN 18
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