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MINNEAPOLIS — University of Iowa sophomores Spencer Lee and Alex Marinelli advanced to the finals of the 2019 Big Ten Championships following semifinal wins on Saturday night at Williams Arena.
Lee, the No. 2 seed at 125, won by 8-0 major decision. He scored takedowns in the first and third periods added a point for riding time to top third-seeded Sean Russell of Minnesota.
“I wrestled a full match and felt I wrestled hard,” Lee said. “My mindset was to keep scoring points. I could’ve probably scored some more points and was maybe too tentative. Overall, I was happy with my performance and feel like I had more in the tank and was ready to keep going.”
Marinelli, seeded No. 2 at 165, scored takedown in the first period and held on to earn a 2-1 decision against No. 3 Evan Wick at 165.
“I need to get to my attacks more,” Marinelli said. “Even if I score in the first period, it doesn’t mean I can’t score in the second and third. Morningstar told me after the match good job, but that I could do more. I think the crowd, my teammates, and my coaches know I can do a lot more and that’s a good thing.”
Lee will face top-seeded Sebastian Rivera in the finals. Marinelli will face top-seeded Vincenzo Joseph.
Six more Hawkeyes are alive on the backside of the bracket. Austin DeSanto and Jacob Warner both lost in the championships semifinals on Saturday and compete in the consolation semifinals Sunday morning with Pat Lugo (149), Kaleb Young (157), and Cash Wilcke (184). Lugo, Young, and Wilcke each won a pair of matches Saturday night. Max Murin (141) split two matches and will wrestle for seventh place Sunday.
Each of Iowa’s eight wrestlers still competing in the tournament have earned automatic berths to the NCAA Championships in Pittsburgh on March 21-23. Seniors Mitch Bowman and Sam Stoll were eliminated from the tournament.
The Hawkeyes are in fourth place after Session II with 73.5 points. Penn State leads the team race with 131 points. Ohio State (111.5), Nebraska (84) and Minnesota (76.5) round out the top five.
“We have two in the finals. That’s important,” said Iowa head coach Tom Brands. “We have five going for third. There is one session to go. We are two-thirds of the way through the tournament, and the most important match is the next one in front of us.”
Session III begins at 12 a.m. (CT) at Williams Arena. The championship matches follow at 3:15 p.m. (CT). BTN will televise the finals.
SEMIFINAL RESULTS
125 – #2 Spencer Lee (IA) major dec. #3 Sean Russell (MINN), 8-0
133 – #3 Nick Suriano (RUT) dec. #2 Austin DeSanto (IA), 3-2
165 – #2 Alex Marinelli (IA) dec. #3 Evan Wick (WIS), 2-1
197 – #2 Kollin Moore (OSU) dec. Jacob Warner (IA), 5-2
CONSOLATION RESULTS
141 – #7 Max Murin (IA) dec. Pete Lipari (RUT), 6-2
141 – #6 Mitch McKee (MINN) dec. #7 Max Murin (IA), 2-1
149 – #3 Pat Lugo (IA) dec. Jaden Enriquez (MSU), 12-3
149 – #3 Pat Lugo (IA) dec. #7 Shane Oster (NU), 7-4
157 – #5 Kaleb Young (IA) dec. #11 Jake Danishek (IND), 8-0
157 – #5 Kaleb Young (IA) vs. #7 Ke-Shawn Hayes (OSU)
174 – #8 Drew Hughes (MSU) tech. fall #10 Mitch Bowman (IA), 20-5
184 – #5 Cash Wilcke (IA) dec. #11 Norman Conley (IND), 5-2
184 – #5 Cash Wilcke (IA) dec. #8 Max Lyon (PU), 8-3
285 – Jacob Aven (PU) dec. #8 Sam Stoll (IA), 5-2
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUPS
125 – #1 Sebastian Rivera (NU) vs. #2 Spencer Lee (IA)
165 – #1 Vincezo Joseph (PSU) vs. #2 Alex Marinelli (IA)
CONSOLATION MATCHUPS
133 – #2 Austin DeSanto (IA) vs. #4 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU)
149 – #3 Pat Lugo (IA) #4 Thomas Thorn (MINN)
157 – #5 Kaleb Young (IA) vs. #6 Steve Bleise (MINN)
184 – #5 Cash Wilcke (IA) vs. #3 Tyler Venz (NEB)
197 – #3 Jacob Warner (IA) vs. Christian Brunner (PU)
SEVENTH-PLACE MATCHUPS
141 – #7 Max Murin (IA) vs. #1 Michael Carr (ILL)
TEAM STANDINGS
1 Penn State 131.0
2 Ohio State 111.5
3 Nebraska 84.0
4 IOWA 83.5
5 Minnesota 76.5
6 Wisconsin 63.5
7 Michigan 62.5
8 Rutgers 45.5
9 Northwestern 43.5
10 Purdue 38.0
11 Illinois 30.0
12 Michigan State 25.5
13 Indiana 24.5
14 Maryland 8.5