No. 8 Nebraska powers past #4 Ohio State, 25-16 in Columbus

Action image courtesy of Nebraska Athletics


Columbus, Ohio - Five-straight bout victories, including two bonus point wins, powered the Nebraska wrestling team (10-3, 6-1 Big Ten) past No. 4 Ohio State 25-16 on Friday night.


The Husker win marked four-straight conference victories as NU preps for two remaining home duals before post-season competition begins.


In tonight's top-ten matchup, action started at 125 pounds. No. 5 Liam Cronin used a takedown and an escape to defeat Ohio State's (12-3, 6-2 Big Ten) No. 10 Malik Heinselman in a 3-1 decision.


Up next, Kyle Burwick faced Ohio State's No. 9 Jesse Mendez. Burwick scored a pair of takedowns and a few escapes, but it was not enough as Mendez won by major decision, 22-11. At 141, the match between No. 4 Brock Hardy and No. 20 Dylan D'Emilio went the distance. After Period 3, the match was tied 6-6 before Hardy tallied the late takedown in sudden victory to claim the 8-6 decision.


At 149, Dayne Morton battled, but No. 3 Sammy Sasso got the fall in Period 3. With the Huskers trailing 10-6 overall, No. 1 Peyton Robb wrestled No. 25 Paddy Gallagher at 157. Robb opened the match with a takedown but Gallagher quickly responded. The match was tied 4-4 with two minutes remaining before Robb scored a late escape to claim the 5-4 decision and stay undefeated.


Bubba Wilson then wrestled Gavin Brown at 165. Bubba jumped out to the early 5-1 lead after two periods and kept the pressure to tally the 10-4 decision. At 174, No. 2 Mikey Labriola and No. 6 Ethan Smith faced off in another top-ten matchup. Smith scored first with a takedown, but Labriola responded with an escape and a takedown. After the pair each tallied an escape, they battled in Period 3 before Labriola scored the takedown at the buzzer. Labriola's 6-4 decision pushed the Huskers in front of Ohio State, 15-10.


Up next, No. 15 Lenny Pinto worked quickly and tallied a pin in the first period, his second fall of the season. With the Huskers taking control 21-10, No. 10 Silas Allred kept the pressure against OSU's Luke Geog. Allred used four takedowns to tally the second straight bonus-point victory for NU and seal the victory. At heavyweight, NU forfeited the match, but went on to defeat the Buckeyes, 25-16.


Up next, the Huskers return home for a matchup with No. 23 Rutgers on Sunday, Feb. 10. Action is set to begin at 12 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on B1G+.

#8 Nebraska 25, #4 Ohio State 16

125: #5 Liam Cronin (NEB) dec. #10 Malik Heinselman (OSU) 3-1 (NEB 3, OSU 0)

133: #9 Jesse Mendez (OSU) major dec. Kyle Burwick (NEB) 22-11 (OSU 4, NEB 3)

141: #5 Brock Hardy (NEB) dec. #20 Dylan D'Emilio (OSU) 8-6, SV-1 (NEB 6, OSU 4)

149: #3 Sammy Sasso (OSU) pinned Dayne Morton (NEB) (6:24) (OSU 10, NEB 6)

157: #1 Peyton Robb (NEB) dec. #25 Paddy Gallagher (OSU) 5-4 (OSU 10, NEB 9)

165: Bubba Wilson (NEB) dec. Gavin Brown (OSU) 10-4 (NEB 12, OSU 10)

174: #2 Mikey Labriola (NEB) dec. #6 Ethan Smith (OSU) 6-4 (NEB 15, OSU 10)

184: #15 Lenny Pinto (NEB) pinned Gavin Bell (OSU) (2:52) (NEB 21, OSU 10)

197: #10 Silas Allred (NEB) major dec. Luke Geog (OSU) 10-2 (NEB 25, OSU 10)

285: #18 Tate Orndorff (OSU) won by forfeit (NEB) (NEB 25, OSU 16)

Ohio State press release


COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 5 Ohio State (12-3, 6-2) ended the Big Ten dual regular season with a 25-16 loss to No. 8 Nebraska (10-3, 6-1) Friday at the Covelli Center.


Ohio State celebrated its seniors prior to the match. Malik Heinselman, Ethan Smith, Kaleb Romero and Tate Orndorff were recognized for the final time at the Covelli Center.

How it Happened


125 | No. 5 Liam Cronin (NEB) def. No. 10 Malik Heinselman (OSU) | D, 3-1

Heinselman scored first with an escape early in the second period for a 1-0 lead. Cronin got the first takedown of the match to lead 2-1 heading into the third. Cronin added a point with an escape to win by decision, 3-1.


133 | No. 9 Jesse Mendez (OSU) def. Kyle Burwick (NEB) | MD, 22-11

Burwick got the early takedown followed by a Mendez escape. Mendez took the 3-2 lead with a takedown going into the second. From the bottom, Mendez added two points with a reversal. After an escape by Burwick, Mendez added three takedowns to lead 11-5 with two minutes left. Mendez finished off the bout with several takedowns to win my major decision, 22-11.


141 | No. 5 Brock Hardy (NEB) def. No. 20 Dylan D'Emilio (OSU) | SV-1, 8-6

Hardy led after the first 4-2 with a pair of takedowns followed by D’Emilio escapes. D’Emilio tied it with a reversal to open the second. A Hardy escape put Nebraska in the lead 5-4 after two. Another Hardy escape made it 6-4. D’Emilio tied the bout with a takedown just before time expired to send it to sudden victory. Hardy then got the win with a takedown for an 8-6 win by decision.


149 | No. 3 Sammy Sasso (OSU) def. Dayne Morton (NEB) | Fall, 6:24

Sasso jumped to 4-0 lead with a takedown and two-point near fall. After a Morton escape, Sasso led 4-1 after the first. After two, Sasso led 9-1 after a four-point near fall and a point awarded for stalling. Sasso escaped to open the third. Sasso then got the pin at 6:24.


157 | No. 1 Peyton Robb (NEB) def. No. 25 Paddy Gallagher (OSU) | D, 5-4

Robb scored first with a takedown and added another before a Gallagher takedown made it 4-3 Nebraska after the first. Gallagher tied it (4-4) with an escape in the second. Robb went up 5-4 with an escape to open the third and won by decision, 5-4.


165 | Bubba Wilson (NEB) def. Gavin Brown (OSU) | D, 10-4

Brown, who wrestled up two weight classes vs. the Cornhuskers, trailed 2-0 after the first. Wilson added an escape and a takedown to lead 5-1 after five minutes. Brown escaped in the third before a Wilson takedown made it 7-2 Nebraska. Wilson finished off the match to win by decision, 10-4.


174 | No. 2 Mikey Labriola (NEB) def. No. 6 Ethan Smith (OSU) | D, 6-4

Smith scored first with a takedown a minute into the first period. Labriola escaped and added a takedown for a 3-2 lead. Smith escaped to tie it at 3-all with a minute to go in the opener. Smith escaped to open the second to take a 4-3 lead into the final period. Labriola tied the bout at 4-all with a third-period escape. Labriola then got the winning takedown just before time expired to win by decision, 6-4.


184 | No. 15 Lenny Pinto (NEB) def. Gavin Bell (OSU) | Fall, 2:53

Pinto went up 2-0 with a takedown 30 seconds into the first. Bell escaped before Pinto added two more takedowns before winning by fall at 2:53.


197 | No. 10 Silas Allred (NEB) def. Luke Geog (OSU) | MD, 10-2

Allred led 2-0 after the first and added an escape point for a 3-0 lead early in the second. A Allred takedown made it 5-0 Nebraska headed to the third. Geog was awarded an escape in the third before a Allred takedown. Allred added an escape and a point for riding time to win by major decision, 10-2.


HWT | No. 18 Tate Orndorff (OSU) won by forfeit

UP NEXT

The Buckeyes will travel to Tampa, Fla., Feb. 18 for the 2023 Spartan Classic to take on No. 4 Cornell (1 p.m.). FloWrestling.org will provide the live stream of the event.