Card Falls at Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. - No. 25 Stanford closed out the dual portion of its schedule with a 31-9 loss at No. 7 Nebraska, Saturday, at the Bob Devany Center. The dual was held simultaneously with Nebraska's men's gymnastics meet versus Minnesota.

Stanford won just three of the 10 bouts, but was missing its usual starters at three weights. The Cardinal finishes with a 9-4 dual record, while Nebraska improved to 12-5.

The Huskers jumped out to a 10-0 lead after ninth-ranked Mikey Labriola posted a 18-5 major decision over Rico Stormer at 174 pounds and sixth-ranked Taylor Venz pinned Nainoa Calvo at 184 pounds. Calvo, a senior from Guam, was wrestling up a weight class and appeared in his first dual since his freshman season.

Stanford won the next two bouts to cut the Nebraska lead to 10-6. No. 12 Nathan Traxler battled No. 13 Eric Schultz and came out on top, 7-6, after the fourth set of tiebreakers. Traxler finished with five seconds of riding time to win by criteria. The redshirt sophomore trailed 4-1 late in the second period, but was able to score a takedown to cut Schultz's lead to 4-3 going into the third. Traxler chose down and was able to tally the escape to tie it 4-4.

There was no score in the sudden victory period between Traxler and Schultz, and then each wrestler scored an escape in the first set of tiebreakers. In the second sudden victory period, Traxler was in on a shot with 23 seconds remaining, but was called out of bounds and was not awarded a takedown so the score remained 5-5. Again, both wrestlers earned escapes in the second set of tiebreakers, but Traxler was named the winner with five seconds of riding time. The redshirt sophomore improved to 26-5 overall and has now defeated six ranked opponents this season.

At heavyweight, redshirt freshman Haydn Maley turned in a 7-4 decision over Christian Lance to move to 21-9 on the season and finish 6-3 in duals. There was no score in the opening period between Maley and Lance. Lance chose down to start the second and notched the escape. Maley then scored a takedown and turned Lance for two near fall points and the 4-1 lead after two periods. Maley went down to start the third and went up 5-1. Lance countered with a takedown, but Maley registered another escape and finished with 1:06 of riding time.

After No. 20 Gabriel Townsell came up short in a 4-1 decision to No. 16 Zeke Moisey at 125 pounds, Nebraska led 13-6. 

Stanford redshirt senior Mason Pengilly would score the Cardinal's final points in a 5-2 decision over Jevon Parrish at 133 pounds. Pengilly recorded a takedown in the opening period and rode out Parrish in the second. He was finally able to escape in the third to go up 3-0. With riding time locked up, Parrish cut Pengilly's lead to 3-2, but Pengilly scored the escape and tacked on the riding time point for the win. Pengilly is now 11-4 overall and moved to 8-1 in duals. 

At 157 pounds, sophomore Dominick Mandarino dropped a 2-1 decision to No. 2 Tyler Berger. Tied 1-1 in the final period, Mandarino was in deep on a shot, but was unable to convert it into a takedown and a stalemate was called. However, Mandarino stayed down on the mat and had to take injury time before continuing. Berger chose down after the injury time and earned another escape - the difference in the bout. 

Up next, Stanford will travel to Tempe, Arizona for the Pac-12 Championships on Saturday, March 9.

No. 7 Nebraska 31, Stanford 9