California Baptist University
Northern Iowa
Hallmark and Green Earn Match Victories as the Lancers Battle #13 Northern Iowa
2/9/2024 9:13:00 PM | Wrestling
RIVERSIDE--- The California Baptist University wrestling team welcomed the #13 Northern Iowa Panthers to Riverside on Friday evening for the first time in program history. The Lancers took two matches off the Panthers but would eventually fall 36-9 after ten matches.
The Panthers came into the dual #13 in the nation according to FloWrestling and #5 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Mid Major Poll. Meanwhile, the Lancers were coming off their first-ever ranked dual victory in program history, defeating #19 Air Force 21-16 in Colorado Springs last Saturday.
CBU faced six ranked wrestlers in the dual, including two top 15 ranked opponents. The Lancers would claim victories in the 157 and 141 lb bouts to earn their nine points, while the Panthers would earn bonus points in six of their matchups.
The dual began with fireworks at 157lbs as Chaz Hallmark battled Kaleb Olejniczak of Northern Iowa. Hallmark found himself down 10-3 through two periods, but halfway through the third period, Hallmark grabbed Olejniczak's left leg and put him on his back to grab his team-leading seventh pin of the season and gave CBU the early 6-0 advantage. The win was Hallmark's fourth dual win of the season and his second by fall.
The Panthers would earn bonus points in each of their next six matches, including two major decisions, two technical falls, and two pins. Five of those six were by ranked opponents, including #1 Parker Keckeisen in the 184lb bout against Nathan Haas. Hass registered an early takedown on Keckeisen but eventually would succumb to the now 20-0 wrestler 17-5 in a major decision.
The only ranked matchup of the evening came at 125 lbs as #22 Elijah Griffin faced off against #27 Trever Anderson. Griffin had control of the first two periods, holding a 16-7 lead going into the final frame. Andersen got a hold of Griffin's shoulder to force him to his back and would secure the fall and six points for the Panthers.
Darren Green would earn his second straight dual win in dramatic fashion in the 141 lb weight class. The match was low-scoring and a defensive battle that would eventually trickle into overtime. In the sudden victory period, Green got a hold of his opponent's leg early but could not secure the takedown cleanly. After some competitive wrestling on the mat, Green eventually secured control and earned the takedown and the victory to put three more points on the board for CBU.
The Panthers closed out the dual with a 2-0 decision in the 149 lb bout to claim the dual 36-9 over the Lancers.
CBU 9 Northern Iowa 36
Location: Riverside, CA- Van Dyne Gym
157: Chaz Hallmark (CBU) pins Kaleb Olejniczak (Northern Iowa) (Fall 6:04)
165: RJ Weston (Northern Iowa) over Mateo De La Pena (CBU) by major decision 11-1
174: Jared Simma (Northern Iowa) over Peter Acciardi (CBU) by technical fall (TF 17-2 7:00)
184: Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) over Nathan Haas (CBU) by major decision 17-5
197: Wyatt Voelker (Northern Iowa) over Eli Sheeren (CBU) by technical fall (TF 15-0 3:00)
285: Tyrell Gordon (Northern Iowa) pins Christopher Island (CBU) (Fall 1:26)
125: Trever Anderson (Northern Iowa) pins Elijah Griffin (CBU) (Fall 6:15)
133: Julian Farber (Northern Iowa) over Hunter Leake (CBU) by decision 8-6
141: Darren Green (CBU) over Connor Thorpe (Northern Iowa) by sudden victory (SV-1 4-1)
149: Adam Allard (Northern Iowa) over Dayne Morton (CBU) by decision 2-0
NEXT: The Lancers will remain in Riverside to prepare for a double dual against Hofstra and Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday, February 17, at 4:30 and 6 PM.
Players Mentioned
