MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State University wrestling team opened its dual match season tonight with a 35-9 victory over St. John's University at the PE Gym.
 
SMSU jumped out to a 13-0 lead after three bouts with Taylor Curtis starting the match with a major decision win at 125, before Jordan Biehn won by decision at 133 to give SMSU a 7-0 lead. Cody Reed then got the home crowd fired up with a victory by fall at 5:27 to extend the lead to 13-0.
 
SJU rallied with three straight victories by decision to cut the SMSU lead to 13-9, but a forfeit by SJU at 174 gave SMSU a 19-9 lead.
 
Brody Goens earned a major decision at 184 to make the score 23-9, before Tristan Ezell excited the crowd once more with a win by fall in 31 seconds at 197, to give SMSU a 29-9 lead. SJU forfeited at 285 to make the final score 35-9.
 
Southwest Minnesota State continues action this Saturday at the Augsburg Open in Minneapolis.
 
INDIVIDUAL BOUT RESULTS
 125 | Taylor Curtis (SMSU) won by maj. decision over Ben Kollaja (SJU), 12-3 | SMSU leads 4-0
 133 | Jordan Biehn (SMSU) won by decision over Austin Miley (SJU), 11-5 | SMSU leads 7-0
 141 | Cody Reed (SMSU) won by fall over over Evan Guffey (SJU), 5:27 | SMSU leads 13-0
 149 | Ben Henle (SJU) won by decision over Jon Weeding (SMSU), 3-0 | SMSU leads 13-3
 157 | Chase Monger (SJU) won by decision over Patrick Kelley (SMSU), 6-3 | SMSU leads 13-6
 165 | Jesse Rogers (SJU) won by decision over Colton Vekved (SMSU), 3-2 | SMSU leads 13-9
 174 | Jacob Begin (SMSU) won by forfeit | SMSU leads 19-9
 184 | Brody Goens (SMSU) won by maj. decision over Glenn Castro (SJU), 19-6 | SMSU leads 23-9
 197 | Tristan Ezell (SMSU) won by fall over Nick Pegelow (SJU), 0:31 | SMSU leads 29-9
 285 | Cole Wilson (SMSU) won by forfeit | SMSU wins 35-9