Jan. 13, 2007
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Wrestling without top-ranked injured Ryan Lang (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward), the eighth-ranked Wildcats fell to Iowa at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, 22-18. Jake Herbert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) went 4-0 Saturday with two pins, a major decision and a technical fall. Mike Tamillow (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) went 3-1 in his four matches. The 'Cats face Central Michigan in consolation bracket for seventh place.
Brandon Precin (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) started the 'Cats off on the right foot, recording a fall over Charlie Falck at 125 lbs. Eric Metzler (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) had a rematch against Iowa's Mario Galanakis. The redshirt freshman defeated the Hawkeye at the Midlands, but fell by 3-2 decision Saturday.
Iowa's Alex Tsirtsis pinned James Kohlberg (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows), wrestling in the place of the injured lang to put Iowa ahead 9-6.
Marty Gould (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) dropped a 10-6 decision to Alex Grunder and Dominic Marella (Roselle, Ill./Conant) fell by major decision to Ryan Morningstar. After Greg Hagel (Linwood, N.J./Blair Academy) and Nick Hayes (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Lewis Central) lost their matches at 165 and 174, respectively, the 'Cats trailed 16-6.
Herbert continued his impressive return with a pin of Phillip Keddy. The junior had nearly three minutes of riding time and recorded multiple near-falls before pinning the Hawkeye at 3:44.
The second-ranked Tamillow defeated Daniel Erekson 8-2, but the standard decision was not enough to bring the 'Cats back. Dustin Fox (Galion, Ohio/Galion) topped Matt Fields 3-2, but the eighth-ranked Wildcats came up three points short, 22-18.
Iowa 22, Northwestern 18
Precin (NU) fall Falck (6-0)
Galanakis dec. Metzler (NU) 3-2 (6-3)
Tsirtsis fall Kohlberg (NU) (6-9)
Grunder dec. Gould (NU) 10-6 (6-12)
Morningstar maj dec. Marella 18-5 (6-16)
Perry dec. Hagel (NU) 6-4 (6-19)
Luedke dec. Hayes (NU) 5-2 (6-22)
Herbert (NU) fall Keddy (12-22)
Tamillow (NU) dec. Erekson 8-2 (15-22)
Fox (NU) dec. Fields 3-2 (18-22)