Wrestling: Heavyweight Harley Andrews Ices Dual Against #9 Minnesota

Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning (right) and Associate Head Coach Bryan Snyder (left).

Needing some big wins from their secondary guys, the Huskers pulled together as a team to beat #9 Minnesota 19-14 on the road Friday night.

Nebraska suffered some upsets, but it got a few big wins out of some of its younger wrestlers to earn the win.

With the win, Nebraska improves to 6-1 in duals on the year while Minnesota drops to 5-2 this year.

Match-By-Match Breakdown

*FloWrestling individual rankings used

125 pounds

Starting the dual was #5 Caleb Smith taking on Minnesota’s #20 Patrick McKee, Nebraska was kind of stung early.

In one of the most peculiar matches I’ve ever seen, Smith was able to blast through McKee twice on double-leg shots, but McKee was able to roll through twice to score the takedowns himself. In the first period, McKee converted the takedown into seven more nearfall points to go up 10-0.

In the second, Smith hit the double again and instead gave up the takedown to McKee. McKee then scored another takedown in the third for the 18-2 tech fall win over Smith.

With the loss, Smith is now 14-4 on the year and has lost three of his last four.

Team Score: Minnesota 5, Nebraska 0

133 pounds

The Huskers opted to start junior Kyle Burwick over #25 Jacob Van Dee here against #22 Tyler Wells.

Burwick and Wells wrestled a scoreless first period before Burwick scored an escape in the second period.

In the third, Burwick scored another point on stalling before Wells secured a takedown on a low shot, collecting Burwick’s ankles. A quick escape by Burwick sent the match to sudden victory.

In overtime. Burwick gave up a takedown on a low shot by Wells for the 5-3 decision loss, dropping Burwick to 3-3 on the year.

Team Score: Minnesota 8, Nebraska 0

141 pounds

Nebraska’s #8 Brock Hardy took on #21 Vance Vombaur here.

After a scoreless first period, Hardy rode Vombaur for over a minute before giving up the escape. Hardy then shot low and got a takedown for the 3-1 lead before giving up an escape before the end of the period.

In the third, Hardy earned an escape and a throw-by takedown, earning the 8-3 decision win with the riding-time point. Hardy is now 11-5 on the year with the win.

Team Score: Minnesota 8, Nebraska 3

149 pounds

Nebraska’s #1 Ridge Lovett took on Minnesota’s Drew Roberts on Friday night.

Lovett scored a first-period takedown before riding the period out. In the second, Lovett scored a fast escape then added a takedown with seconds remaining to go up 7-0.

In the third, Lovett was able to add another takedown when he got to a single-leg before elevating it and tripping Roberts for the takedown late. With the riding-time point, Lovett earned the 11-0 major decision win.

With the win, Lovett is now 16-0 on the year.

Team Score: Minnesota 8, Nebraska 7

157 pounds

Facing one of the biggest slides of his career, Nebraska’s #3 Peyton Robb has now lost three matches in a row after taking a loss to Minnesota’s #14 Michael Blockhus, who just beat #2 Jared Franek of Iowa as well.

Robb started the match with a first-period takedown, giving up an escape after accumulating nearly a minute of riding time. In the second, Robb gave up a takedown to Blockhus before giving up four nearfall points as well, giving Blockhus an 8-5 lead.

In the third, Robb started on top and cut Blockhus loose. Blockhus then held Robb off in a late flurry, scoring a takedown of his own. Robb ended up dropping the match 12-6.

With the loss, Robb is now 14-3 on the year.

Team Score: Minnesota 11, Nebraska 7

165 pounds

Needing a win, Nebraska’s #17 Antrell Taylor took care of business against Minnesota’s Blaine Brenner.

Late in the first period, Taylor scored a takedown to go up 3-0. After giving up a second-period escape, Taylor tallied an escape and a takedown in the third to ice the 8-2 decision win.

With the win, Taylor is now 12-3 on the year.

Team Score: Minnesota 11, Nebraska 10

174 pounds

Needing #19 Bubba Wilson to hold serve, Nebraska got just that when the junior took on Minnesota’s Sam Skillings.

After a scoreless first period, Wilson scored a second-period escape. Skillings then scored an escape of his own to start the third to tie the match at 1-1.

Wilson then scored a takedown later in the third before a big lift and return, earning a 4-2 decision win, improving to 11-5 this season.

Team Score: Nebraska 13, Minnesota 11

184 pounds

In one of the biggest matches of the dual, Nebraska’s #3 Lenny Pinto took on Minnesota’s #10 Isaiah Salazar.

After a scoreless first period that was full of action, Pinto struck first with a second-period escape before Salazar scored a takedown on a counter, riding Pinto out the rest of the period.

In the third, Pinto gave up an escape and was unable to get in for any offense, falling 4-1 by decision.

Pinto drops to 12-3 on the year with the loss.

Team Score: Minnesota 14, Nebraska 13

197 pounds

With the dual in his hands again, Nebraska’s #14 Silas Allred took on Minnesota’s #26 Garrett Joles.

After a scoreless first period, Allred scored first with an escape in the second. Joles scored an escape in the third, sending the match to sudden victory.

Allred was able to get the takedown in sudden victory for the 4-1 win.

Allred is now 14-4 on the year with the win.

Team Score: Nebraska 16, Minnesota 14

285 pounds

With the dual coming down to heavyweight, Nebraska redshirt freshman Harley Andrews took the mat against #30 Bennett Tabor of Minnesota.

Andrews struck first with a first-period takedown on a low shot before eventually giving up the escape after riding Tabor for 1:28. In the second, Tabor scored an escape and a late takedown to go up 5-3.

In the third, Andrews shot a low single before converting for a takedown and a 6-5 lead. Andrews then got called for stalling, tying the match at 6-6. Andrews then cut Tabor for an escape but was able to score the lateral-drop takedown late in the third, earning the 10-7 decision win.

Andrews improves to 9-9 on the season with the win.