Huskers Hold Off Illinois in 22-9 Triumph

Champaign, Ill. – No. 13 Nebraska (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) built an early 10-0 lead and never looked back in a 22-9 win over No. 12 Illinois at Huff Hall on Friday night.

Aaron Studebaker got the Huskers started on the right track with a come-from-behind win over Jeff Koepke at 197 pounds. The sophomore from Raymond, Neb., earned a takedown with 10 seconds left to pick up a 4-3 victory.

No. 17 Collin Jensen (HWT) and No. 11 Tim Lambert (125) each posted shutouts to give NU a 10-0 lead after three matches. At 141 pounds, No. 10 Anthony Abidin took down 12th-ranked Steven Rodrigues by a 10-4 decision following Eric Montoya’s 3-2 loss to No. 4 Zane Richards at 133 pounds.

At 149 pounds, Justin Arthur notched an 8-4 decision over Kyle Langenderfer to give the Huskers a 16-3 advantage after six bouts. Third-ranked James Green (157) suffered his second consecutive loss on the season with his 2-0 setback against No. 4 Isaiah Martinez. Green, a three-time All-American, is 18-3 during the 2014-15 campaign.

Austin Wilson fell to No. 8 Jackson Morse, 2-1, at 165 pounds before top-ranked Robert Kokesh (174) held on for a 5-3 decision against ninth-ranked Zac Brunson. Kokesh, a two-time All-American, improves to 23-0 on the season. In the final match of the night, No. 18 TJ Dudley (184) defeated No. 20 Nikko Reyes by a 6-3 decision.

The Huskers return home to face No. 21 Rutgers on Sunday at the Devaney Center at noon (CT) live on the Big Ten Network.

No. 13 Nebraska 22, No. 12 Illinois 9
Friday, Jan. 23, 2015
Huff Hall, Champaign, Ill.

Results
197: Aaron Studebaker (NEB) by dec. over Jeff Koepke (ILL), 4-3 (NEB 3, ILL 0)
HWT: No. 17 Collin Jensen (NEB) by major dec. over Chris Lopez (ILL), 8-0 (NEB 7, ILL 0)
125: No. 11 Tim Lambert (NEB) by dec. over Dominic Olvieri (ILL), 5-0 (NEB 10, ILL 0)
133: No. 4 Zane Richards (ILL) by dec. over Eric Montoya (NEB), 3-2 (NEB 10, ILL 3)
141: No. 10 Anthony Abidin (NEB) by dec. over No. 12 Steven Rodrigues (ILL), 10-4 (NEB 13, ILL 3)
149: Justin Arthur (NEB) by dec. over Kyle Langenderfer (ILL), 8-4 (NEB 16, ILL 3)
157: No. 4 Isaiah Martinez (ILL) by dec. over No. 3 James Green (NEB), 2-0 (NEB 16, ILL 6)
165: No. 8 Jackson Morse (ILL) by dec. over Austin Wilson (NEB), 2-1 (NEB 16, ILL 9)
174: No. 1 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by dec. over No. 9 Zac Brunson (ILL), 5-3 (NEB 19, ILL 9)
184: No. 18 TJ Dudley (NEB) by dec. over No. 20 Nikko Reyes (ILL), 6-3 (NEB 22, ILL 9)