SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Thursday night dual action in the Elmen Center came down to the final match, but ended up short as No. 7 Augustana wrestling fell to Northern State, 20-18.
 
The loss moves the Vikings to 5-6 overall this season and 2-1 in conference competition while the Wolves improve to 4-0 so far and 3-0 in the NSIC.
 
Despite a scoreless first period, Braiden Kort got things started for AU at 133 pounds with an escape in the second period. It was a locked-tight grapple that ended in an extra point for ride time to secure the 2-0 decision over Brenden Salfrank and kicked started momentum for the Vikings.
 
Payton Handevidt scored next for AU, fighting off a scoreless first period, an exchange of stalling warnings and an escape to tally an escape of his alone. In the final dwindling seconds of the third period, he logged a gritty takedown and accrued an extra point of riding time to make it a 5-1 decision over Izaak Hunsley at 165.
 
Coy Gunderson kicked off the first period at 174 with two dominating takedowns. He continued to push the gas and not look back, collecting another takedown and a three-point nearfall before collecting two more takedowns and an extra point for riding time in the third. The match ended in a convincing 19-6 major decision over Mason Fey.
 
At 184, No. 3 Cade Mueller overcame a slow start with a two-point nearfall in the second period to take the early lead. Despite giving up an escape, Mueller logged one of his own and fought off late attempts for Damen Pape to take the 3-1 decision.
 
Holding onto a 4-3 lead at the end of the first period, Max Ramberg added a takedown and an escape to his total for the 8-3 advantage. And the third period is where he took control. Ramberg rattled off a stunning five takedowns in the third period alone—bring his match total to seven—and added in a bonus point for ride time to claim the 24-7 tech fall.
 
FULL RESULTS
125: Sloan Johannsen (NSU) over Christian Olsen (AUG) (Dec. 9-4)
133: Braiden Kort (AUG) over Brenden Salfrank (NSU) (Dec. 2-0)
141: No. 11 Braydon Mogle over Connor Whiteley (AUG) (Inj. 2:00)
149: No. 6 Wyatt Turnquist (NSU) over No. 2 Cael Larson (AUG) (Dec. 3-0)
157: Griffin Lundeen (NSU) over Payton Anderson (AUG) (TF 15-0 4:42)
165: Payton Handevidt (AUG) over Izaak Hunsley (NSU) (Dec. 5-1)
174: Coy Gunderson (AUG) over Mason Fey (NSU) (MD 19-6)
184: No. 3 Cade Mueller (AUG) over Damen Pape (NSU) (Dec. 3-1)
197: Max Ramberg (AUG) over Tyson Lien (NSU) (TF 24-7 6:57)
285: Nathan Schauer (NSU) over Max Balow (AUG) (Dec. 6-3)
 
UP NEXT
Augustana will head to St. Cloud to face the #1 Huskies in Saturday action, with a 2 p.m. start time set for the conference matchup.