After losing their first two conference matchups, the NIU wrestling team traveled to Kent, Ohio, looking to overpower the No. 18 Kent State Flashes.

The Flashes (5-0 overall, 1-0 MAC) prevailed in their conference opener, however, defeating the Huskies (2-9, 0-3) 37-6.

Kent State set the tone early against NIU, starting with the first match of the evening. NIU senior Bryan Deustch was on the receiving end of a major decision at 157 to Matt Cathell by the score of 12-4, snapping his five-match winning streak.

Kent State was also able to record three pinfall victories over Brad Dieckhaus at 184, Mike Lukowski at 197 and Zach Taylor at 125. Matt Mougin, Caleb Busson and Izzy Montemayor were also unable to defeat their counterparts. Kent State was able to jump out to a commanding 34-0 lead over the Huskies through the first eight matches of the night.

NIU senior Tristen DeShazer was the lone Huskie able to defeat his opponent, beating Sean Collins by pinfall early in the second period. DeShazer has recorded three pinfalls in his past four victories in a combined total of 4:44.

“Tristen wrestled really tough,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “We were up against a tough team, but there were matches that we could have won but were unable to close out.”

TRANSITION

“There are certain times in a match where we need to give 110 percent, and there were a couple instances where at the end of each period we got scored on. We need to focus on winning those crucial positions. Our guys have wrestled hard and they’ve given great effort, but there are do-and-die situations in any match and we have to understand when we are in those positions that we can’t give 80 percent or even 100 percent, we have to give 110 percent.”

Although it appears that the Huskies have not fared well as a team so far this season, they have been up against five ranked opponents, two of which are in the MAC, and welcome the strong competition.

“Wrestling all these good teams is making us better wrestlers,” Grant said, who is confident that his team is improving and becoming more motivated because of their level of competition.

Grant also feels that his team has the effort and ability to win these matches, but they are just one step away from accomplishing that.

“It’s like in football when you have the ball at the ten-yard line, we have the ball and we are not scoring even though we are right there,” said Grant.

The Huskies will be in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Friday night to meet with the University of Northern Iowa Panthers for a non-conference battle before returning to Victor E. Court on Feb. 4 for a conference matchup with Eastern Michigan.