Huskers Hold Off Illinois in 22-9 Triumph

Champaign, Ill. –  Nebraska (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) built an early 10-0 lead and never looked back in a 22-9 win over  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.

 Nebraska 22,  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)