Who won?
That's the question many people were asking after the Ashland University wrestling team and the 14th-ranked Findlay Roughnecks were tied at 16 at the end of the match on Wednesday (Feb. 3) night.
The rulebook was brought out, and, on the third tiebreaker scenario, Findlay was declared the winner.
The first NCAA tiebreaker looks at greatest number of match victories (5-5). The second tiebreaker then compares the total number of falls, forfeits, defaults and disqualifications. That didn't break the tie. Finally, the third tiebreaker is total number of points scored (UF 45-38), which broke the tie. One point was added to the team score, and Findlay was declared the winner, 17-16.
Beginning at 125 pounds, redshirt freshman Sebastian Vidika set the tone for the Eagles, defeating the Roughnecks' Mike Stewart by a 7-6 decision.
Freshman Jerry Fenner III continued the momentum at 133, defeating Devin Rogers by a 3-2 decision.
Findlay then stole the momentum back and rattled off four consecutive victories before AU's Jordan Murphy stopped the run. Murphy, a junior from Oxon Hill, Md., took down UF's Alonzo Turner by a 5-3 decision.
At 197, senior Joe Brandt, ranked third in the country, took a 13-5 major decision against Dalton Ishmael. Brandt improved to 19-2 on the season, winning his 12th consecutive match.
Senior Nigel Cross (285) then narrowly defeated the Roughnecks' Luke Fleming by a 3-2 decision.
The Eagles will return home on Friday, Feb. 12 for the last home dual of the season against the Tiffin Dragons. The Senior Night dual will begin at 7 p.m.
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