BISMARCK, N.D. - Facing their toughest competition of the year, the University of Mary Wrestling team took on #2 St. Cloud State University this afternoon for the fifth dual of the season where U-Mary went up against a team ranked in the top-20.
 
The Marauders (5-11, 1-5 NSIC) had their hands full through the majority of the match as the Huskies (12-1, 4-0 NSIC) proved their national ranking was deserved en route to a 42-3 final score in favor of St. Cloud State.
 
St. Cloud State features five wrestlers ranked in the top eight of their weight class in the nation, but only three made an appearance in the dual as Reed Cronin started off the match against Travis Swanson at 141 pounds. Swanson took an insurmountable 11-3 lead after the first period after a slew of four-point nearfalls, and though Cronin scored a takedown of his own, Swanson eventually pinned the Marauder at the 6:33 mark of the bout.
 
Jakob Weisbrod went next at 149 pounds against Curt Zachmeier, and both grapplers were evenly matched through three periods with the 1-1 score coming as a result of one escape each for Weisbrod and Zachmeier. Heading into the overtime period, Weisbrod went on the offensive immediately as he recorded the takedown and had a shot at the pin with Zachmeier on his back, but the Husky held out and Weisbrod's four-point nearfall went to the books for a 7-1 sudden victory, putting the Marauders on the board at 6-3.
 
Unfortunately, that would be the lone bout U-Mary won as St. Cloud State rattled off five straight bonus point wins over the next five matches. Travis Holt pinned Dane Fischer at 57 seconds in the 157-pound matchup to get things started.
 
Clint Poster was the first nationally ranked wrestler to make an appearance as he is the No. 1 ranked 165-pounder and Poster made short work of Paul Michaelson with the Husky recording the 19-3 tech fall at the 6:06 mark of the match. Clayton Jennissen is also ranked in the top eight as he is the No. 4 ranked 174-pounder and fired off a handful of takedowns throughout his bout against Riley Nagel for the eventual 18-5 major decision.
 
Uthman Rabiu kept the pressure on the Marauders as he pinned Jacob Green at the 1:33 mark of the first period at 184 pounds, and Tom DeVito had his hands full with V.J. Giulio at 197 pounds with Giulio scoring the pin at the 1:13 mark of the matchup.
 
Austin Goergen was the final wrestler who was ranked among the nation's best as he came into today's dual as the No. 1 ranked heavyweight among NCAA Division II wrestlers. Goergen's 23-0 record is unique as he has scored a bonus point win in every matchup on the year leading up to the dual, including four injury defaults, while the rest came either from major decision, tech fall, or pin.
 
Travis Smith faced the tall task of taking on Goergen and Smith put up a spectacular fight despite the Husky's early takedown in the first period. Goergen scored a reversal in the second frame after choosing bottom and several takedown attempts from Smith had to be squelched by the Husky throughout the final period.
 
Goergen scored another takedown in the third frame and scored his final point from riding time as Smith found himself on the losing side of a 7-0 decision, marking the first bout of the year for Goergen that didn't result in a bonus point. Smith is familiar with top competition as he took on now-No. 8 ranked heavyweight Cole Wilson in last week's dual against Southwest Minnesota State University, and took on then-No. 8 ranked Michael Lowman in the dual against Augustana University, both matches were decided by one point.
 
Josh Jensen, typically starting off the majority of duals throughout the season, was now the eighth match of the day as he took on Brett Velasquez at 125 pounds. Velasquez scored the first points of the bout with a takedown in the opening period, but Jensen scored his escape and notched a takedown of his own in the second period to go up 3-2, but gave up an escape to Velasquez that tiee the matchup at 3-3.
 
Velasquez held the advantage on riding time in the final period, meaning Jensen needed to score a nearfall to keep his hopes of winning alive as the Husky chose bottom in the frame. Jensen couldn't hold on as Velasquez scored the escape and eventually held on for the 5-3 decision.
 
Tate Barnhardt rounded out U-Mary's efforts on the day as he took on Jarred Oftedahl at the 133-pound matchup, though Oftedahl scored the first points on a takedown midway through the initial period and held on without allowing Barnhardt to escape.
 
Oftedahl chose neutral in the second frame and though no points were scored in the period, there was plenty of action as Barnhardt and Oftedahl traded takedown attempt after attempt with neither wrestler gaining the upper hand. Barnhardt chose neutral in the final period and once again found himself trading takedown attempts with Oftedahl with the Husky putting a stop to every attempt from Barnhardt, while Barnhardt squelched most attempts from Oftedahl
 
Oftedahl eventually wore down Barnhardt for the final takedown of the day late in the period and took away a 5-0 decision over the Marauder. Barnhardt's loss snapped a nine-match winning streak as his last loss came in the dual against Upper Iowa University back on December 11, 2015.
 
The Marauders will make their final road trip of the season next week as they take on yet another team ranked in the top 20 in the nation. U-Mary will pay a visit to Moorhead, Minn., to take on Minnesota State University Moorhead on Sunday, February 7, starting at 3:00 PM CDT. The Dragons are currently receiving votes in the top 20.
 
FINAL RESULTS:
141: Travis Swanson (SCS) over Reed Cronin (MARY) (Fall 6:33)
149: Jakob Weisbrod (MARY) over Curt Zachmeier (SCS) (SV-1 7-1)
157: Travis Holt (SCS) over Dane Fischer (MARY) (Fall 0:57)
165: Clint Poster (SCS) over Paul Michaelson (MARY) (TF 19-3 6:06)
174: Clayton  Jennissen (SCS) over Riley Nagel (MARY) (MD 18-5)
184: Uthman Rabiu (SCS) over Jacob Green (MARY) (Fall 1:33)
197: VJ Giulio (SCS) over Tom DeVito (MARY) (Fall 1:13)
285: Austin Goergen (SCS) over Travis Smith (MARY) (Dec 7-0)
125: Brett Velasquez (SCS) over Josh Jensen (MARY) (Dec 5-3)
133: Jarred Oftedahl (SCS) over Tate Barnhardt (MARY) (Dec 5-0)
 
Team Score: U-Mary 3, St. Cloud State 42
 
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