Biggest win ever for ISU over Panthers

The second-ranked Iowa State wrestling team scored its biggest-ever victory over Northern Iowa Saturday, beating the Panthers 42-0 in West Gym. ISU's first shutout of UNI in 43 years came via bonus-point victories in seven of the 10 bouts. A boisterous contingent of visiting Cyclone fans urged the ISU squad on to its second dual victory of the 2009-10 campaign, to improve to 2-1. UNI drops to 3-6.

The dual victory was ISU's first shutout of the Panthers since 1966 (35-0). ISU is 52-16 all-time against UNI.

"Having our guys winning in all 10 of the matches is important," said ISU head coach Kevin Jackson. "To be where we want to be in March, we want the team to be wrestling like how we are training them."

Sophomore Dalton Jensen, a native of Missouri Valley, Iowa, had to wait until the end of the dual to score the most points for the Cyclone squad. Jensen, filling in for two-time All-American Nick Gallick at 141 pounds, cradled UNI's Alec Hoffman in 1:17 to notch a pin and six team points for Iowa State.

"To have Dalton (Jensen) get out there and pin the guy is just awesome," Jackson said. "He's a pinner and if he gets on top of a guy he's looking for it. He was filling in for a good wrestler in Gallick so that is saying something for him to go out there and get the fall."

To begin the event, ISU senior 149-pounder Mitch Mueller scored the first victory with a 22-8 major decision showing against UNI's Jamal Lawrence. Mueller recorded six takedowns in the third period to power his way to the bonus-point victory.

Another gutsy third-period performance was turned in by Cyclone 157-pounder Andrew Sorenson. The sophomore hailing from Woden, Iowa recorded three takedowns and a three-point nearfall in the final period to distance himself from Panther Tyson Reiner by major decision, 13-3.

Three Iowa Staters turned in technical falls for the team effort. Jon Reader (165) won over UNI's David Bonin, 19-4 (5:51). At 125 pounds, freshman Andrew Long was victorious over Terrance Young of Northern Iowa, 19-4 (6:46). Following Long's win, senior Nick Fanthorpe turned in his own five-team point performance with a 22-5 (6:47) victory over UNI's Ryan Jauch.

Cyclone three-time NCAA finalist Jake Varner major decisioned Northern Iowa's Dustin Bauman, 13-4. Varner, the returning NCAA champion at 197 pounds, notched over four minutes of riding time in the victory.

ISU heavyweight David Zabriskie notched an escape, a takedown and a two-point nearfall in the first tiebreaker overtime period to outpace Panther Christian Brantley, 6-1 (TB1).

Senior 174-pounder Duke Burk notched a decision for the Cyclones with a 7-5 win over Jarion Beets of Northern Iowa. Sophomore Jerome Ward followed Burk's victory with his own decision over UNI's Andy O'Loughlin, 8-2.

The Cyclones hit the road Dec. 29-30 for the prestigious Midlands Championships on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. The first session kicks off at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 29. ISU will then travel for a dual meet Jan. 3 at Minnesota. Mat action begins at 2 p.m.

IOWA STATE 42, UNI 0

149 - Mitch Mueller (ISU) major dec. Jamal Lawrence (UNI), 22-8

157 - Andrew Sorenson (ISU) major dec. Tyson Reiner (UNI), 13-3

165 - Jon Reader (ISU) tech. fall David Bonin (UNI), 19-4 (5:51)

174 - Duke Burk (ISU) dec. Jarion Beets (UNI), 7-5

184 - Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Andy O'Loughlin (UNI), 8-2

197 - Jake Varner (ISU) major dec. Dustin Bauman (UNI), 13-4

HWT - David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. Christian Brantley (UNI), 6-1 (TB1)

125 - Andrew Long (ISU) tech. fall Terrence Young (UNI), 19-4 (6:46)

133 - Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) tech. fall Ryan Jauch (UNI), 22-5 (6:47)

141 - Dalton Jensen (ISU) pinned Alec Hoffman (UNI), 1:17