2014 Men’s Basketball
Championship
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -– Junior Shawn Nagel (133 pounds) turned the tide of a back-and-forth dual with his first pin of the season as No. 17 Nebraska defeated No. 11 Michigan 20-19 on Friday night at Cliff Keen Arena.
The Huskers picked up their first Big Ten dual victory of the season after an 0-2 start and improved to 7-3 overall. Michigan fell to 6-2 and 0-1 in the Big Ten.
In the opening match, No. 7 James Green (157) made his first appearance for the Huskers since an injury on Dec. 1 and won an 8-3 decision against Michigan’s Collin Zeerip to earning his 13th victory of the season. He improved to 6-0 in duals.
The Wolverines responded at 165 pounds as No. 13 Taylor Massa pinned NU’s Austin Wilson in 45 seconds. Nebraska bounced back at 174 with No. 4 Robert Kokesh’s 9-3 decision against No. 11 Dan Yates. The victory marked Kokesh’s 18th in a row as he improved to 23-1 on the season and 9-1 in duals.
Senior Josh Ihnen (184) kept the Nebraska momentum going with his technical fall against Chris Heald,18-3. Ihnen’s 16th win of the season gave the Huskers an 11-6 lead.
Michigan won the next three matches, however, to take a 16-11 lead. At 197 pounds, No. 18 Max Huntley of Michigan won a 3-1 decision versus Caleb Kolb. Sophomore Spencer Johnson (HWT) made his first appearance of the season but lost an 8-3 decision to No. 19 Ben Apland. Freshman Eric Coufal fell by a 15-7 major decision to the Wolverines’ Sean Boyle at 125 pounds.
Trailing 16-11, Nebraska’s Nagel delivered by pinning Michigan’s Rossi Bruno at 133 pounds in 2:14. The pin marked Nagel’s first of the season and 11th of his career as he gave the Huskers a 17-16 lead. The junior improved to 11-9 on the season and 5-5 in duals.
Senior Ridge Kiley (141) extended Nebraska’s lead to 20-16 with his 4-3 decision against No. 18 Camryn Jackson. Kiley picked up his 10th win of the season and improved to 5-2 in dual competition.
At 149 pounds, sophomore Jake Sueflohn fell by a 3-2 decision to No. 12 Eric Grajales. Sueflohn, who is ranked eighth in the InterMat poll, fell to 14-3 on the season and 5-2 in duals.
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