The Wisconsin wrestling team celebrated Senior Day on Sunday at the Field House before dominating Northwestern, 38-3, behind a major decision, two technical falls and a pin.
Other than their 43-0 walloping of Division II UW-Whitewater on Nov. 12, the win was easily the Badgers' most lopsided. Previously, Wisconsin's biggest point differential in a victory was 13 points against Maryland on Feb. 14.
Seniors Brett Hochstaetter, Nic Veling and Brock Horwath were honored prior to the dual.
UW maintained control from start to finish, with Isaac Jordan piling on the points against Luke Norland.
The second-ranked 165-pounder used two takedowns, a two-point near fall and a four-point near fall to get out to a comfortable 10-1 lead after one period.
Choosing to start the second on the bottom, Jordan quickly escaped and added two takedowns to earn the technical fall victory, 17-2.
The result marked Jordan's 21st-consecutive triumph to start the season and extended his winning streak to 22-straight, dating back to last year. It was also his highest point total and first technical fall win of 2015-16. Jordan last won by 15 points (19-4) on Feb. 6, 2015 against Nick Visicaro of Rutgers.
At 174 pounds, Ricky Robertson's win proved to be much more challenging, as he recorded a takedown with just 15 seconds remaining to beat Mitch Sliga in a 5-2 decision.
Ryan Christensen added to Wisconsin's lead with a major decision in the 184-pound grapple.
The Wisconsin wrestler did not allow his competitor, Regis Durbin, to reach the scoreboard until there were only 27 seconds remaining in the match.
He went for three takedowns and his first four-point near fall of the season in the 14-1 win.
While the 197-pound and heavyweight matches are often slow-moving, less thrilling affairs, Eric Peissig and Horwath brought plenty of excitement to the mat on Sunday.
Peissig kept pace with Jacob Berkowitz early on but trailed, 4-2, after the first period.
Berkowitz, starting the second on the bottom, escaped to extend his lead. Peissig responded soon after, though, with a takedown and then proceeded to pin the NU wrestler 4:02 into the match.
The fall was the Menomonie, Wisconsin, native's second of his career. He last pinned an opponent on Dec. 13, 2013, when he defeated Northern Iowa's Kyle Beal.
Horwath followed up Pessig's impressive win with one of his own.
The heavyweight match was a stalemate through the first period and much of the second.
Wisconsin's 285-pounder carried a one-point lead into the third but with Conan Jennings amassing over a minute of riding time, the match was a virtual tie.
Just as it looked like time would expire and the wrestlers would reset for the first sudden victory period, Horwath lunged at Jennings' legs to register a takedown with a mere split second to spare before the buzzer sounded.
The point was reviewed and confirmed, giving Horwath a victory in his last match at the Field House.
In the 125-pound match, Johnny Jimenez sweetened his birthday by earning a 7-3 win over Garrison White. He is now 14-11 on the season.
No. 11 Ryan Taylor met No. 19 Dominick Malone at 133 pounds which was the only bout of the dual to feature two ranked wrestlers.
Following a scoreless first period, Malone picked up an escape to Taylor's takedown in the second.
A neutral start in the third allowed Taylor to earn another takedown, helping him to a 5-1 win.
Despite having just eight matches under his belt this year, Taylor has matched up with six ranked opponents. Sunday's win gave him his second over a ranked wrestler, improving his record to 5-4 in 2015-16.
A Wildcats forfeit at 141 pounds gave Luke Rowh his ninth win of the campaign.
Andrew Crone challenged his fifth ranked opponent in the last eight matches, as he met No. 6 Jason Tsirtis in the 149-pound battle.
After no scoring through two periods, Tsirtis picked up an escape, takedown and riding time point in the third compared to Crone's escape to win, 4-1.
Crone now posts a 2-6 record against rated wrestlers, with three of the losses coming by three points or less.
TJ Ruschell wrapped up the dual with a bang, as he gathered six takedowns and two four-point near falls to defeat Anthony Petrone, 20-5.
The win was his most dominant of the year and snapped an 11-match slide that dated back to Dec. 5.
Wisconsin will next compete at the Big Ten Championships, March 5-6, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
Results:
125: Jimenez (WIS) wins by Dec. over White (NU), 7-3
133: Taylor (WIS) wins by Dec. over Malone (NU), 5-1
141: Rowh (WIS) wins by Forfeit over Oster (NU)
149: Tsirtis (NU) wins by Dec. over Crone (WIS), 4-1
157: Ruschell (WIS) wins by TF over Petrone (NU), 20-5
165: Jordan (WIS) wins by TF over Norland (NU), 17-2
174: Robertson (WIS) wins by Dec. over Sliga (NU), 5-2
184: Christensen (WIS) wins by MD over Durbin (NU), 14-1
197: Pessig (WIS) wins by Fall over Berkowitz (NU) at 4:02
Hwt.: Horwath (WIS) wins by Dec. over Jennings (NU), 3-1
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