#6 NC State Wrestling Trounces #12 Nebraska On the Road

LINCOLN, NEB. – The No. 6 NC State wrestling team won nine of the 10 matches, including the final eight, and came away with a 29-3 win at No. 12 Nebraska Friday night.

The Wolfpack (10-0) also scored three individual top-10 wins on the night. This marked the fourth straight season the teams have met, and the road team has won each time.

Starting at 157 pounds, #16 R-Fr. Hayden Hidlay started out the Pack with a top-10 upset. The reigning ACC Wrestler of the Week improved to a perfect 8-0 on the season with his 6-3 win over #7 Tyler Berger. Hidlay started with a takedown in the first, then a reversal and another takedown in the third scored the upset win.

Nebraska got a 9-3 decision at 165 pounds to even it at 3-3.

R-Fr. Daniel Bullard gave the Pack its lead back with a close 6-5 win at 174 pounds. With the score tied 5-5 late, Bullard was awarded a stall point with seven seconds left for the win.

In the most exciting match of the night, #3 R-Sr. Pete Renda scored the Pack’s second top-10 win of the night as he downed #6 Taylor Venz 9-6 at 184 pounds. Venz started with a takedown then Renda scored a reversal all in the first 15 seconds. Venz then had a reversal answered by Renda’s second in the period. Renda then turned him for a four-point near fall and held an 8-5 lead with 2:04 of RT. Venz rode Renda the whole second period, but Renda answered by riding Venz the whole third and with riding time took a 9-6 win.

#7 R-Sr. Michael Macchiavello put the Pack up 12-3 at the break with his 6-2 win at 197 pounds. Macchiavello scored takedowns in the first and third to improve to 6-0 on the season.

R-Jr. Malik McDonald picked up the winning string after the break, as he scored four takedowns and came away with a 9-5 win at 285 pounds. So. Tommy Cox followed suit at 125 pounds, with a 7-6 win – as the match ended 6-6 but Cox had almost two minutes of ride time for the final point and an 18-3 team lead.

R-Fr. Tariq Wilson scored the Pack’s first bonus point win of the night, winning 17-1 at 133 pounds. Wilson dominated from the start, scoring a takedown and four-point near fall in both the first and second period before a two-point near fall ended it in the second.

#2 R-Sr. Kevin Jack picked up his 100th career win at NC State and notched the Pack’s third top-10 win of the night at 141 pounds. Jack defeated #8 Chad Red 9-3 with three takedowns.

#17 R-Sr. Beau Donahue closed the dual with a dramatic comeback win at 149 pounds. Donahue was down 8-4 at the start of the third. He then scored two takedowns, and cut him, and clinched the win with a takedown with 13 seconds left to win 11-10. Earlier in the day, Donahue earned his undergrad degree in business administration.

Up Next: NC State will remain on the road and next compete on Sunday at the Reno Tournament of Champions.

#6 NC State 29, #12 Nebraska 3
157: #16 Hayden Hidlay (NCSU) dec. #7 Tyler Berger; 6-3 – 3-0
165: #10 Isaiah White (NEB) dec. Brian Hamann; 9-3 – 3-3
174: Daniel Bullard (NCSU) dec. Beua Breske; 6-5 – 6-3
184: #3 Pete Renda (NCSU) dec. #6 Taylor Venz; 9-6 – 9-3
197: #7 Michael Macchiavello (NCSU) dec. Eric Schultz; 6-2 – 12-3

285: Malik McDonald (NCSU) dec. David Jensen; 9-5 – 15-3
125: Tommy Cox (NCSU) dec. Mitchell Maginnis; 7-6 – 18-3
133: Tariq Wilson (NCSU) tech fall Zak Hensley; 17-1 – 23-3
141: #3 Kevin Jack (NCSU) dec. #8 Chad Red; 9-3 – 26-3
149: #17 Beau Donahue (NCSU) dec. Collin Purinton; 11-10 – 29-3