SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - In its first dual of the new year, the Southwest Minnesota State wrestling team fell to the seventh-ranked Augustana University Vikings by a final score of 45-0 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on Friday night.

The dual started with the 149-pound match between Jake Messner and No. 2 Cael Larson. Larson controlled the first period by scoring a pair of takedowns to lead 6-1 after the first three minutes. Messner would escape from the bottom position and up-end Larson into a takedown to close the gap to 6-5, but the effort would be too little.

Larson would outscore Messner 16-2 over the following five minutes to take the match via tech fall 22-7.

At 157, No. 15 Connor Simmonds would cruise his way to a 17-1 tech fall in just 2:31 to give Augustana a 10-0 lead.  

AU would build on its lead, winning 165, 174, and 184 by tech fall as well to hold a 25-0 margin heading into the five-minute intermission.

197 pounds featured Kody Marschner taking on No. 5 Max Ramberg. Marschner put the pressure on early by scoring a takedown right after the first whistle to lead 3-0, but Ramberg would escape and secure a takedown to lead 4-3 after one period.

Ramberg turned the tables in the final two periods, getting score after score to secure another tech fall for the Vikings and push the lead to 30-0.

285 pounds saw Evan Thompson fall to Max Balow via major decision, while the 125-pound match between Carlo Arreola and Christian Olsen also ended in a major decision victory for the Vikings.

At 133, Chase Hanson fell via a 14-4 major decision before the Vikings closed the dual with a 13-10 win via decision in the 141-pound match.  

The Mustangs return home tomorrow to wrestle against No. 1 St. Cloud State, with the first bout scheduled for 3 p.m.  
 
"Tough loss for the boys tonight, but a lot of positives in the way we wrestled. Every guy gave themselves a chance and put themselves in a position to win," said SMSU head coach Chayse Jackson. "As a young team, we need to learn to be a bit more resilient and not let little things turn into big things. We preach the mindset of learn, burn, return. Today is the perfect opportunity to learn and forget before we return to action in our shortest turnover of the year. Another day, another opportunity."

AU 46, SMSU 0
149 – No. 2 Cael Larson (AU) over Jake Messner (SMSU) (TF 22-7 7:00) 
157 – No. 15 Connor Simmonds (AU) over Cade Lierman (SMSU) (TF 17-1 2:31) 
165 – Payton Handevidt (AU) over Caden Young (SMSU) (TF 23-4 7:00)
174 – Coy Gunderson (AU) over Mason Buss (SMSU) (TF 23-8 6:10)
184 – No. 3 Cade Mueller (AU) over No. 17 Adam Sylvester (SMSU) (TF 20-4 5:20)
197 – No. 5 Max Ramberg (AU) over Kody Marschner (SMSU) (TF 22-4 6:36) 
285 - Max Balow (AU) over Evan Thompson (SMSU) (MD 10-1)
125 - Christian Olsen (AU) over Carlo Arreola (SMSU) (MD 10-1) 
133 - Braiden Kort (AU) over Chase Hanson (SMSU) (MD 14-4) 
141 - Connor Whiteley (AU) over Chase Murphy (SMSU) (Dec 13-10)     
Extra Matches   
149 - Davin Rose (AU) over Chance Burns (SMSU) (Fall 2:15)
174 - Josh Wagener (AU) over Noah Jensen (SMSU) (TF 19-4 6:42)
133 - AJ Polansky (SMSU) over Thurman Christensen (AU) (Dec 10-9)