Wildcats Stay Undefeated, Dominate CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly

By Northwestern Athletics

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Northwestern wrestling (6-0, 1-0 Big Ten) extended its undefeated start to the season with a pair of dual wins over CSU Bakersfield and Cal Poly on Friday night at the Mott Center.

Seven Wildcats won both of their bouts in the double-dual, including #12 Sebastian Rivera, who extended the hot start of his rookie campaign to a 10-0 record. He started the evening off with a commanding 19-4 tech fall over Sergio Mendez of CSU Bakersfield.

NU iced the first dual against CSU Bakersfield after the eighth bout, clinching the first win of the day after Mitch Sliga’s 16-4 major decision over Dom Ducharme.

In all, five Wildcats picked up extra points in the 27-13 victory, including major decisions by #9 Ryan Deakin, Johnny Sebastian, Mitch Sliga, and #19 Conan Jennings.

The Wildcats glided to a 30-8 victory over Cal Poly in the nightcap as well, as NU won eight of 10 bouts to pick up its sixth dual win of the season. Shayne Oster picked up his third win by fall of the season and the only one of the dual for the Wildcats, pinning Jett Moy in 2:43 before the intermission.

Sliga notched a tech fall in the second dual, a 17-1 output in 5 minutes, 39 seconds. Over the two duals, he outscored his competition, 33-5.

#19 Conan Jennings also went two-for-two on the night, logging a major decision and a sudden-victory decision. He outscored Mark Penyacsek of CSUB, 13-0, in the last bout of the opening dual.

Chicago’s Big Ten Team improved to 4-0 all-time against Cal Poly.

Northwestern is off until December 29-30, when the grapplers will participate in the NU-hosted Ken Kraft Midlands Championships at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

Northwestern 27, CSU Bakersfield 13
125: #12 Sebastian Rivera (NU) Tech. Fall Sergio Mendez (CSUB), 19-4 (7:00) | NU 5, CSUB 0
133: Colin Valdiviez (NU) dec. Sean Nickell (CSUB), 7-2 | NU 8, CSUB 0
141: Russell Rohlfing (CSUB) dec. Alec McKenna (NU), 3-0 | NU 8, CSUB 3
149: #9 Ryan Deakin (NU) maj. dec. Kalani Tonge (CSUB), 12-3 | NU 12, CSUB 3
157: #18 Coleman Hammond (CSUB) maj. dec. Shayne Oster (NU), 13-0 | NU 12, CSUB 7
165: Michael Sepke (NU) dec. Jacob Thalin (CSUB), 8-3 | NU 15, CSUB 7
174: Johnny Sebastian (NU) maj. dec. Bryan Battisto (CSUB), 11-0 | NU 19, CSUB 7
184: Mitch Sliga (NU) maj. dec. Dom Ducharme (CSUB), 16-4 | NU 23, CSUB 7
197: #14 Matt Williams (CSUB) Fall Zack Chakonis (NU), 5:20 | NU 23, CSUB 13
285: #19 Conan Jennings (NU) maj. dec. Mark Penyacsek (CSUB), 13-0 | NU 27, CSUB 13

Northwestern 30, Cal Poly 8
125: #12 Sebastian Rivera (NU) dec. Yoshi Funakoshi (CP), 10-3 | NU 3, CP 0
133: Colin Valdiviez (NU) dec. Tyler Schilling (CP), 6-1 | NU 6, CP 0
141: Colton Schilling (CP) maj. dec. Alec McKenna (NU), 8-0 | NU 6, CP 4
149: #9 Ryan Deakin (NU) dec. Joshua Cortez (CP), 7-2 | NU 9, CP 4
157: Shayne Oster (NU) Fall Jett Moy (CP), 2:43 | NU 15, CP 4
165: Michael Sepke (NU) maj. dec. Killian Vendler (CP), 14-4 | NU 19, CP 4
174: Johnny Sebastian (NU) dec. Mathew Wilhelm (CP), 8-3 | NU 22, CP 4
184: Mitch Sliga (NU) Tech. Fall Ryan Anderson (CP), 17-1 (5:39) | NU 27, CP 4
197: Thomas Lane (CP) maj. dec. Zack Chakonis (NU), 13-0 | NU 27, CP 8
285: #19 Conan Jennings (NU) dec. Spencer Empey (CP), 2-0 (SV-1) | NU 30, CP 8