In their last meet before regional qualification, the Augustana Vikings wrestling team faced off against University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) Mavericks.
On Wednesday, Feb. 17, top-ranked UNO beat the fifth-ranked Augustana wrestlers 26-6 at the Sapp Fieldhouse in Omaha.
The defeat was chalked up to a lack of confidence by head wrestling coach Jason Reitmeier. "We didn't wrestle our style; if we wrestle the way we are capable of wrestling, we will do well," Reitmeier said.
Although the team's final score was 26-6, the Vikings fared well throughout the duals.
"We didn't perform our best against Omaha, but the score really didn't reflect how a lot of the matches were," senior Al Meger said.
Several of the matches went into a third period, and there were no pins.
Wrestling in the 197-pound weight class, junior Ty Copsey scored a takedown against Jacob Marrs (UNO), the top ranked wrestler in the nation. Copsey is currently ranked third in this class and is a two-time All-American wrestler. Copsey's victory was sudden for the Vikings, taking down Marrs with only 29 seconds remaining in the period.
Augustana junior Gavin Nelson also had a win in the 165-pound weight class, defeating UNO's Nathan Sigman 5-2.
Five other matches between nationally ranked wrestlers took place, but UNO won all five. Sophomore Marcus Edgington, ranked first nationally in the 157-pound weight class, lost to the Mavericks' fifth-ranked George Ivanov.
Augustana has six individuals ranked nationally and is currently ranked first in the region. In the national rankings, the Vikings are fifth. This is the highest national ranking the team has reached this season.
Meger is ranked third in the region. "I've had two really tight matches with the guys seated ahead of me," he said.
"We should have all ten guys seated in the top four, and it's not out of reach for us to qualify all ten wrestlers," Meger said.
Despite the recent losses against UNO, the Augustana wrestlers are looking forward to the Northern Regional Qualifier, which takes place Sunday, Feb. 28, in Aberdeen.
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