Iowa Hawkeyes open season with dual win over Penn

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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
11/30/2001


More than 4,000 fans crowded into the Palestra at the University of Pennsylvania to see the fifth ranked Iowa Hawkeyes take on the University of Pennsylvania.    The Hawkeyes opened their season handing the Quakers a 21-12 dual loss winning six of 10 matches.    The dual started at 174 pounds, where returning All-American Rick Springman (Penn) handed a 6-2 decision to Iowa's Tyler Nixt. Hawkeye 184-pounder Jessman Smith came on strong with a fall over Marcus Schontube (Penn) at 4:52.     At 197 pounds, Iowa's Trey Clark followed with a 9-4 decision over Michael Faust (Penn). The battle of the freshman took place at heavyweight with Steve Mocco (Iowa) decisioning Matthew Feast (Penn), 7-2.     At the top of the lineup, Penn's Mason Lenhard jumped out to a 3-0 lead over Iowa's Luke Eustice with an illegal hold call and a takedown. Eustice, wrestling with an injured and heavily taped hand, battled back to win the 7-5 decision.    At 133 pounds, senior Hawkeye Mark Juergens dominated sophomore Quaker Jeff Eveleth capturing an 8-1 decision with riding time.     Iowa's Luke Moffit at 141 pounds jumped out to an early 4-0 lead over Penn's Kyle Bernholz by rolling through a headlock and scoring the takedown and two nearfall points in the first minute of the match. Moffit would add the bonus match point with more than 2 minutes of riding time to secure an 8-1 decision.     149-pounder Mike Zadick sat out of the dual due to a lingering injury, being replaced by senior Josh Budke. Budke, who was scheduled to weigh in at 141 pounds, dropped an 8-3 decision to Joe Henson of Pennsylvania.     Fourth rated returning all-American Yoshi Nakamura (Penn) secured three team points for Penn with a decisive 8-3 decision over Hawkeye Matt Anderson. Nakamura jumped out to a quick lead scoring two inside trip takedowns in the first period.    In the final match of the night, Penn's Josh Henson battled Iowa's Ben Shirk winning the decision 5-4 in the last seconds of the match. Ahead 4-3 with the third period winding down, Shirk was called for locked hands and then let Henson go for an escape giving Henson the lead and the win.    The Hawkeyes continue their road trip with two duals tomorrow at Hofstra and against Princeton at Blair Academy, while the Pennsylvania Quakers will take its wrestlers to the Penn State open this Sunday.      Bout-by-bout results  174 - Rick Springman (Penn) dec. Tyler Nixt (Iowa), 6-2  184 - Jessman Smith (Iowa) fall Marcus Schontube (Penn), 4:52  197 - Trey Clark (Iowa) dec. Michael Faust (Penn), 9-4  285 - Steve Mocco (Iowa) dec. Matthew Feast (Penn), 7-2  125 - Luke Eustice (Iowa) dec. Mason Lenhard (Penn), 7-5  133 - Marc Juergens (Iowa) dec. Jeff Eveleth (Penn), 8-1  141 - Luke Moffitt (Iowa) dec. Kyle Bernholz (Penn), 8-1  149 - Joe Henson (Penn) dec. Josh Budke (Iowa), 8-3  157 - Yoshi Nakamura (Penn) dec. Matt Anderson (Iowa), 8-3    165 - Josh Henson (Penn) dec. Ben Shirk (Iowa), 5-4