Wrestlers drop Big Ten opener to Minnesota

Marquee matchup between No. 1 Gomez, No. 2 Ness never transpires

---

Tweet

The marquee match between MSU’s No. 1-ranked 133-pound senior Franklin Gomez and Minnesota’s No. 2-ranked 133-pound senior Jayson Ness never took place Friday night at Jenison Field House.

But MSU wrestling fans were still witnesses to a close Big Ten-opening dual which saw No. 5 Minnesota edge the Spartans 18-16.

“I thought our effort was pretty good,” MSU head coach Tom Minkel said. “Minnesota is one of the top four or five teams in the country and I thought we wrestled really hard. We’re a team that’s making some progress and although I would’ve liked to have won the dual, I thought we sure gave a good effort.”

Ness, who was injured in a Jan. 9 match against Central Michigan that forced him to miss time, did not travel with the Golden Gophers to East Lansing.

The change didn’t affect Gomez, who recorded a major decision against Minnesota’s Thane Antczak.

“The guy I was actually supposed to wrestle did not come – I actually don’t know the reason why, but I’m here to wrestle anyway, so that’s not my problem,” Gomez said. “I don’t have to worry about anyone else… I was mentally and physically prepared for anyone.”

Although the crowd at Jenison Field House didn’t get to see the marquee match, the Spartans still put on a show for the home crowd, fighting the Gophers to down to the wire.

The Spartans led for most of the dual, holding a 16-15 lead headed to the final match.

MSU took a 10-9 advantage at the halfway point in the dual when 157-pound junior Anthony Jones Jr. recorded a 3-1 victory against Minnesota’s Joe Grygelko in the required overtime.

Jones made an acrobatic somersualt earlier in the match to tie the score at one, then later won with a takedown.

Senior Kyle Bounds of the 165-pound class increased the Spartans’ lead to 13-9 with a decision against Minnesota’s Cody Yohn.

No. 13-ranked 149-pound sophomore David Cheza jumped out to an 8-1 lead against No. 18 Mario Mason, then held on for victory earlier in the match.

The Spartans kept the intensity up and looked as if they might open Big Ten play with an upset, but the Gophers responded with victories in the final two matches to hold on.

Senior Nick Palmieri of the 184-pound class also recorded victory for the Spartans.

MSU next match is 1 p.m. Sunday against No. 19 Illinois at Jenison Field House.

---