NORFOLK, Va. -- The No. 17 Old Dominion wrestling team dropped a 24-12 loss to No. 21 Northern Iowa in the MAC opener on Sunday afternoon at the Ted Constant Center.
Northern Iowa (3-4, 2-2 MAC) opened the match with an upset victory at 141, as Trevor Jauch upended No. 9 Chris Mecate, 5-3. Despite leading 3-2 after two periods, Mecate surrendered a takedown to Jauch in the closing seconds, falling 5-3 after a riding time point was added in favor of Jauch.
Alexander Richardson responded at 149 with a tech. fall over Jake Hodges, 18-2, to give ODU a 5-3 lead in the dual meet score, but UNI freshman Bryce Steiert earned a 4-2 win at 157 to regain the lead for the Panthers.
The Panthers' Kyle Lux outlasted Brooks Climmons, defeating the Monarch sophomore 4-2 TB on the strength of a reversal in the overtime period at 174.
In his first match back since the Midlands, Jack Dechow impressed with an 11-2 major decision over Cody Caldwell. Dechow racked up four takedowns en route to the bonus point victory to narrow UNI's lead to 12-9.
Northern Iowa answered with back-to-back wins at 197 and 285, as Jared Bartel defeated Austin Coburn, 7-1, at 197 with a six-point move in the waning seconds of the match, and Blaize Cabell pinned Andrew Snyder in 4:35.
Brandon Jeske improved his winning streak to five with a workman-like 7-3 decision over Leighton Gaul at 125 before the Panthers' Josh Alber decisioned Emilio Saavedra, 2-0, in a rematch of the Midlands Championship match. Alber used an escape and riding time point to close out the win for Northern Iowa, 24-12.
ODU gets back in action on Friday, Jan. 22 against Buffalo at 7 p.m. before taking on Kent State on Sunday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. on the road.
#21 Northern Iowa 24, #17 Old Dominion 12
141: Trevor Jauch (UNI) dec. #9 Chris Mecate (ODU), 5-3
149: #8 Alexander Richardson (ODU) TF Jake Hodges (UNI), 18-2 5:00
157: Bryce Steiert (UNI) dec. Devin Geoghegan (ODU), 4-2
165: #8 Cooper Moore (UNI) dec. Seldon Wright (ODU), 11-6
174: Kyle Lux (UNI) dec. Brooks Climmons (ODU), 4-2 TB
184: #6 Jack Dechow (ODU) maj. Cody Caldwell (UNI), 11-2
197: Jared Bartel (UNI) dec. Austin Coburn (ODU), 7-1
285: #15 Blaize Cabell (UNI) pin Andrew Snyder (ODU) 4:35
125: Brandon Jeske (ODU) dec. Leighton Gaul (UNI), 7-3
133: #17 Josh Alber (UNI) dec. #14 Emilio Saavedra (ODU), 2-0