Hawkeyes Send 4 to Big Ten Semifinals

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EAST LANSING, Mich. — The University of Iowa wrestling team advanced four wrestlers to the semifinals of the 2018 Big Ten Championships on Saturday afternoon at the Breslin Center.
 
Spencer Lee (125), Brandon Sorensen (149), Michael Kemerer (157), and Sam Stoll (285) wrestle Saturday night for a chance to compete in the Big Ten finals Sunday afternoon.
 
Kemerer and Stoll both went 2-0 in the opening session. Kemerer won by fall in 3:48 and again by major decision, 15-5. Stoll advanced to the semis with a pair of decisions, 4-1 and 7-1.
 
Lee advanced to the semis with a fall in 2:42, while Sorensen advanced with a 4-3 decision.
 
Iowa is in fourth place with 39 points following the quarterfinals. Ohio State leads the team race with 85.5 points. Penn State (81.5), Michigan (64.5) and Illinois (29) round out the top five.
 
The Hawkeyes have five wrestlers alive on the backside of the bracket. Vince Turk (141), Joey Gunther (174), and Cash Wilcke (197) each won their opening round bouts, but fell in the quarterfinals and will wrestle in Saturday night’s consolation bracket.
 
They’re joined by Alex Marinelli (165) and Mitch Bowman (184). Bowman lost in the opening round, and Marinelli dropped an 8-6 overtime decision in the quarterfinals. The Hawkeyes move forward without 133-pounder Paul Glynn, who was eliminated from the tournament after a pair of losses.
 
QUOTING COACH TOM BRANDS
“There is a lot of wrestling left, and if you are going to grade us right now it wasn’t ideal. Is it even ideal when you win every match? Unless you win by a fall, there are always things to improve on. We have to come back strong and be ready to go for tonight. It’s not like we come back tomorrow, we have to go back to the hotel, get ready, and come back tonight. We have to right the wrong.”
 
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Each of Iowa’s four semifinalist have earned automatic berths to the NCAA Championships. Turk and Bowman need one win in the consolation round to secure an automatic bid. Gunther and Wilcke need two wins on the back side of the bracket. Marinelli’s 165-pound weight class has 10 automatic bids for the NCAA Championships. He clinches a berth win a win. If he loses, he enters a six-man playoff to determine the final two bids.
 
UP NEXT
Session II begins at 7 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on BTN Plus. A round of consolations will be wrestled prior to the semis.
 
FIRST ROUND RESULTS (# tournament seed)
133 – #7 Dylan Duncan (ILL) major dec. Paul Glynn (IA), 9-1
141 – Vince Turk (IA) dec. #8 Eli Stickley (WIS), 6-0
157 – #1 Michael Kemerer (IA) pinned Jake Danishek (IND), 3:48
174 – #7 Joey Gunther (IA) dec. Beau Breske (NEB), 4-3 TB2
184 – #3 Domenic Abounader (MICH) major dec. Mitch Bowman, 13-2
197 – #3 Cash Wilcke (IA) dec. Andre Lee (ILL), 4-3 TB2
285 – #4 Sam Stoll (IA) dec. Razohnn Gross (RUT), 4-1
 
QUARTERFINALS RESULTS
125 – #2 Spencer Lee (IA) pinned #7 Rayvon Foley (MSU), 2:42
141 – #1 Joey McKenna (OSU) dec. Vince Turk (IA), 4-0
149 – #2 Brandon Sorensen (IA) dec. #7 Alfred Bannister (MD), 4-3
157 – #1 Michael Kemerer (IA) major dec. #8 John Van Brill (RUT), 15-5
165 – #7 Logan Massa (MICH) dec. #2 Alex Marinelli (IA), 8-6 SV1
174 – #2 Bo Jordan (OSU) dec. #7 Joey Gunther (IA), 8-3
197 – #6 Christian Brunner (PUR) dec. #3 Cash Wilcke (IA), 8-2
285 – #4 Sam Stoll (IA) dec. #5 Youssif Hemida (MARY), 7-1
 
CONSOLATION ROUND RESULTS
133 – Garrett Pepple (IND) dec. Paul Glynn (IA), 3-1
 
SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS
125 – #2 Spencer Lee (IA) vs. #3 Nathan Tomasello (OSU)
149 – #2 Brandon Sorensen (IA) vs. #3 Ryan Deakin (NW)
157 – #1 Michael Kemerer (IA) vs. #4 Micah Jordan (OSU)
285 – #4 Sam Stoll (IA) vs. #1 Adam Coon (MICH)
 
CONSOLATION MATCHUPS
141 – Vince Turk (IA) vs. Sal Profaci (MICH)
165 – #2 Alex Marinelli (IA) vs. #9 Te’Shan Campbell (OSU)
174 – #7 Joey Gunther (IA) vs. Logan Ritchie (MSU)
184 – Mitch Bowman (IA) vs. #5 Nick Gravina (RUT)
197 – #3 Cash Wilcke (IA) vs. David-Brian Whisler (MARY)
 
TEAM STANDINGS

1. Ohio State           85.5
2. Penn State           81.5
3. Michigan             64.5
4. IOWA                   39.0
5. Illinois                  29.0
6. Purdue                 23.5
7. Minnesota           23.0
8. Northwestern     23.0
9. Rutgers                22.0
10. Nebraska             16.5
11. Wisconsin            13.5
12. Maryland             6.5
13. Michigan State   5.0
14. Indiana                 2.5