No. 16 Nebraska defeated No. 18 South Dakota State Sunday afternoon to improve to 2-2 in duals on the year

With the first semester filled with non-conference duals and tournaments nearly at an end, the No. 16-ranked Huskers took on No. 18 South Dakota State Sunday afternoon before heading into their holiday break.

Nebraska’s team has improved and come together over the past month and the Huskers were able to improve to 2-2 in dual competition with a hard-fought 22-17 win over the Jackrabbits on their home turf.

Nebraska started fast, but the Jackrabbits made things interesting due to some big bonus-point wins. But the Huskers had some impressive performances of their own on the way to victory.

Match-By-Match Breakdown

*FloWrestling individual rankings used

125 pounds

Nebraska’s No. 9 Liam Cronin wasted no time starting things off for the Huskers, as he locked up a cradle on South Dakota State’s Tanner Jordan just 15 seconds into the match. From there, Cronin turned the Jackrabbit freshman on his back and got his second pin of the year, improving to 9-2 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 6, South Dakota St. 0

133 pounds

Coming off a disappointing CKLV, Nebraska’s Boo Dryden was able to get back in the win column against SDSU’s Derrick Cardinal.

Dryden scored a takedown in the first period before going up 3-0 in the second with an escape. In the third, Dryden rode Cardinal long enough to lock up riding time before giving up the escape, giving him a 4-1 decision win.

Team Score: Nebraska 9, South Dakota St. 0

141 pounds

Nebraska’s No. 5 Brock Hardy improved his win streak to 13 with a solid win over No. 15 Clay Carlson of SDSU.

Hardy took a 2-1 lead in the first period with a takedown before cutting Carlson loose. In the second, Hardy went up 4-1 with a reversal. Carlson then scored an escape and a late takedown of his own to even things up at 4-4.

In the third, Hardy started on top and put on a hard ride, racking up over a minute of riding time before giving up the escape, giving Carlson the 5-4 lead. With the riding-time point, the third period ended with the score tied 5-5.

Just 5 seconds into sudden victory, Hardy was able to pick Carlson’s ankle and converted for a slick takedown to get the 7-5 decision win, improving to 15-2 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 12, South Dakota St. 0

149 pounds

Dayne Morton took the mat for the Huskers here against Alek Martin of SDSU.

After a scoreless first period, Martin struck first with an escape to start the second. Martin then scored a late takedown to go up 3-0.

In the third, Morton started on bottom but gave up four nearfall points when he was tilted by Martin. Morton then gave up a point on a stalling call. With riding time, Morton fell to Martin 9-0 via major decision.

Morton falls to 2-7 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 12, South Dakota St. 4

157 pounds

For Nebraska’s No. 2 Peyton Robb, it was business as usual Sunday afternoon. Another ranked opponent, another dominant victory from the top position.

Robb started things off against No. 23 Cael Swensen with a go-behind for a takedown early in the first period, only to ride out the period to earn 2:28 in riding time.

Robb started on bottom in the second and rolled for an eventual reversal, going up 4-0 and again riding out the period.

Robb started on top in the third but decided to cut Swensen for an escape. Robb then blasted through Swensen for a double-leg takedown before giving up a final escape. With the riding-time point (Robb accumulated over four minutes on top), Robb earned a 7-2 decision. He’s now 13-0 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 15, South Dakota St. 4

165 pounds

With their backs against the wall, the Jackrabbits were ignited by their pinning 165-pounder No. 11 Tanner Cook. Against Nebraska’s No. 13 Bubba Wilson, Cook wasted no time in getting his team back into the dual when he caught a shot in a front headlock. Cook then rolled Wilson over for a takedown and a pinfall in just 29 seconds.

Wilson is now 8-5 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 15, South Dakota St. 10

174 pounds

In one of the matches to watch in this dual, Nebraska’s No. 2 Mikey Labriola took on No. 16 Cade DeVos of SDSU.

After a scoreless first period, Labriola scored an escape and a takedown in the second to go up 3-0. In the third, Labriola started on top and rode DeVos out for the period, adding a riding-time point for a 4-0 decision win. Labriola improves to 13-0 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 13, South Dakota St. 12

184 pounds

In another matchup of ranked opponents, Nebraska’s No. 17 Lenny Pinto took on SDSU’s No. 16 Cade King. After just getting pinned by King at CKLV, Pinto exacted his revenge on Sunday afternoon.

After a scoreless first period, King scored first with an escape to start the second. Pinto took a 2-1 lead late in the period with a takedown.

In the third, Pinto scored a quick escape to go up 3-1 before coming out of an extended scramble on the mat for a takedown and a 5-1 lead. King then scored an escape, but Pinto put King in a body lock, taking him down and scoring four nearfall points as he nearly got the pinfall before time ran out. With the late flurry of points, Pinto locked up a 12-2 major decision win, improving to 7-5 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 22, South Dakota St. 10

197 pounds

Nebraska’s No. 18 Silas Allred just couldn’t find an answer for No. 17 Tanner Sloan. After falling to Sloan at CKLV, Allred was dominated by Sloan in South Dakota.

Sloan scored a takedown and four back points in the first period to go up 6-0 before adding two more points in the second with a takedown. Sloan then scored an escape and a takedown while adding a riding-time point in the third for a 12-0 major decision win over Allred.

Allred falls to 12-4 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 22, South Dakota St. 14

285 pounds

Nebraska senior Cale Davidson took on SDSU’s No. 12 AJ Nevills to finish the dual.

Nevills, who upset formerly-No. 1 Cohlton Schultz at CKLV, started fast on Sunday with a takedown of Davidson before riding him out. Nevills then scored an escape in the second to go up 3-0 before Davidson got a late takedown, cuttin the lead to 3-2.

In the third period with Nevills noticably gassed, Davidson turned things up as he got an escape to tie things up.

With the match tied 3-3, it went into sudden victory. Nevills was able to catch Davidson’s leg in overtime, taking him down and putting him on his back for four nearfall points. With the 9-3 decision loss, Davidson falls to 6-9 on the year.

Team Score: Nebraska 22, South Dakota St. 17

What’s Next for Nebraska?

Nebraska travels January 7 to Buies Creek, N.C. to face both Campbell and Gardner-Webb in duals before beginning Big Ten duals the following week.