MINNEAPOLIS -- Claiming wins in eight of 10 matches, Augsburg scored a 34-9 victory against Minnesota State-Moorhead in a nonconference dual meet on Wednesday evening at Si Melby Hall.
Augsburg (2-0 overall), the No. 2-ranked team in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national rankings, claimed two pins, a technical fall and two major-decision wins to score the win against the Division II Dragons (2-1 overall).
Augsburg claimed back-to-back pins midway through the match, both in dramatic fashion. Kirk Anderson, the No. 6-ranked wrestler nationally at 133 pounds, pulled off a strong throw from the neutral position at the edge of the mat 16 seconds into the third period, scoring a 5:16 pin over Shane Novak Anderson is now 5-1 on the season with two pins.
In the next match at 141, Marcus Hamer rallied from a 7-4, second-period deficit with another dramatic throw, fighting off a single-leg attack with a spin move to score the pin at the 4:56 mark of the bout over Isaac Novaeck. Hamer is now 9-1 on the season with five pins.
Two-time defending national champion heavyweight Chad Johnson improved to 8-0 on the season and 113-13 on his career with a 15-0, second-period technical-fall victory against Gerad Fugleberg. The top-ranked heavyweight in Division III, Johnson scored two takedowns, an escape, two 2-point near-falls and two 3-point near-falls to score the third technical-fall victory of his career. Of his 113 career wins, 67 (59.3 percent) are bonus-point victories (39 pins, three technical falls, 26 major decisions).
Matt Hechsel, the No. 3-ranked wrestler at 197 pounds, scored a 10-0, major-decision win against Tyler Schlosser, building 4:55 of riding time to dominate the bout, improving to 9-0 on the season with his fifth bonus-point victory (four pins, one major decision).
Justin Bowland improved to 7-3 with his fourth major-decision victory of the season, a 12-3 triumph against Shawn Porter at 165. Bowland scored five takedowns and had 2:45 riding time to claim the victory.
Mike Fuenffinger, the No. 2-ranked wrestler nationally at 125, improved to 6-0 on the season with an 8-5 win against Blake Bosch. He's now 49-17 in his Auggie career.
Will Keeter, ranked No. 5 nationally at 157, fought off a strong challenge from Daniel Murakami in a match that went to sudden-victory overtime tied 1-1. Eighteen seconds into the extra session, Keeter scored a takedown to win the bout 3-1, improving to 8-2 on the season.
Rashad Kennedy improved to 7-3 on the season with a 12-5 win against Garrett Hoffner at 149. Kennedy built a 5-1 lead after two periods and claimed 2:25 of riding time in the bout.
MSU Moorhead scored wins in the opening and closing bouts of the match. Matthew Lewellen improved to 18-7 on the season at 184 with a 10-5 win against Augsburg's Miles Hammerlund. In the final bout of the evening, Michael Joseph, the No. 6-ranked wrestler in Division II at 174, claimed a second-period, injury-default victory against Tommy Teigen.
