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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The University of Iowa wrestling team fell to No. 2 Ohio State, 22-12, on Sunday afternoon at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
The fourth-ranked Hawkeyes won four of the first six matches and built a 12-7 lead, but Ohio State finished the dual with four straight wins to hand Iowa its first loss of the season and snap the Hawkeyes’ 24-match winning streak in Big Ten road duals.
Spencer Lee, a true freshman ranked No. 6 at 125, used nearly two minutes of riding time to defeat top-ranked fifth-year senior Nathan Tomasello, 3-2. After a scoreless first period, Lee opened the second on top and spent two minutes driving Tomasello into the mat to finish the period on top.
After an optional start to the third, Tomasello grabbed a 2-1 lead with a takedown, but Lee quickly escaped and used his one minute, 53 seconds of riding time to walk off the mat a one-point winner.
“I learned that I can wrestle seven minutes and I need to score more points,” Lee said. “You let a match be that close and in the end he can get a takedown. You have to build your lead. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever won a match without a takedown.”
Ohio State earned wins at 133 and 141 before the Hawkeyes strung together consecutive wins at 149, 157, and 165.
Brandon Sorensen, ranked No. 2 at 149, broke a 2-2 tied in the third with a takedown 1 minute, 13 seconds into the period and held on for a 4-2 decision against No. 6 Ke-Shawn Hayes.
Michael Kemerer, ranked No. 2 at 157, never trailed in his 8-4 win. Kemerer was on the board, 2-0, six seconds into the match and finished the next 2 minutes, 54 seconds of the period on top. He doubled his lead 24 seconds into the second, and used 3 minutes, 39 seconds of riding time to finish off No. 6 Micah Jordan.
Alex Marinelli, ranked No. 11 at 165, scored takedowns in the first and third periods to defeat No. 13 Te’Shan Campbell, 4-1. Marinelli improved to 9-0 in his career, and 17-0 all-time at the Schottenstein Center. He won four Ohio high school state titles at the facility from 2013-16.
“I need to wrestle with more tentacity,” Marinelli said. “I want to see the guy breaking mentally and physically. I want to see pins. The fans want to see pins. Hawkeye fans want to see me dominate and that’s the goal in my wrestling.”
The Hawkeyes led 12-7 after six matches, but Ohio State grabbed the lead with a decision at 174 and a major decision at 184, and closed the dual with a decision at 197 and technical fall at 285.
QUOTING HEAD COACH TOM BRANDS
“We won four matches and we needed to win 10. We need to get first period takedowns. We need to get off bottom. We need to get the first takedown, the second period and last takedown.”
“The guys that didn’t get their hand raised, the reason is because it was too easy for the opponent. And when it’s too easy for the opponent — we’re either letting up or we’re not fighting — there is a belief issue there. As that match goes on maybe things go our way a little bit. Bowman and Young both got the last takedown of the match, but if you have issues of whether you belong out there, and it looks too easy… we have a long way to go.”
UP NEXT
Iowa returns to the mat Saturday, Jan. 27, hosting No 8 Michigan at 5 p.m. (CT) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are available at hawkeyesports.com/tickets.
NOTABLES
- Attendance was 15,117, the 14th largest wrestling dual crowd in NCAA history.
- Iowa’s streak of 24 straight conference road wins was snapped.
- Sorensen improved to 30-1 all-time in Big Ten duals.
- Marinelli won four Ohio State titles at the Schottenstein Center and is 17-0 all-time at the facility.
- Kemerer earned his third win this season over a top 10 opponent.
- Kaleb Young made his dual debut at 174 pounds.
#4 IOWA 12, #2 Ohio State 22
125 — #6 Spencer Lee (IA) dec. #1 Nathan Tomasello (OSU), 3-2; 3-0
133 — #2 Luke Pletcher (OSU) dec. Paul Glynn (IA), 8-2; 3-3
141 — #11 Joey McKenna (OSU) major dec. Carter Happel (IA)/ 13-2; 3-7
a149 — #2 Brandon Sorensen (IA) dec. #6 Ke-Shawn Hayes (OSU), 4-2; 6-7
157 — #2 Michael Kemerer (IA) dec. #6 Micah Jordan (OSU), 8-4; 9-7
165 — #11 Alex Marinelli (IA) dec. #13 Te’Shan Campbell (OSU), 4-1; 12-7
174 — #3 Bo Jordan (IA) dec. Kaleb Young (IA), 10-5; 12-10
184 — #2 Myles Martin (OSU) major dec. #20 Mitch Bowman (IA), 17-8; 12-14
197 — #1 Kollin Moore (OSU) dec. #5 Cash Wilcke (IA), 6-3; 12-17
285 — #1 Kyle Snyder (OSU) tech. fall Steven Holloway, 24-0; 12-22
Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center
Records: #4 Iowa (9-1, 4-1) | #2 Ohio State (10-0, 5-0)
Attendance: 15,117
