Iowa wrestling’s meet at Northwestern was hyped up all week, with the headlining event coming at 125: No. 2 Spencer Lee versus No. 1 Sebastian Rivera.

That excitement came crashing down when – despite being listed on the probable lineup card – Lee didn’t weigh in.

Lee’s absence made no difference to the Iowa team as a whole. It cruised to a 32-7 win, with its only losses coming at weights where the Hawkeye regulars didn’t wrestle: 125 and 157, with Kaleb Young missing.

After losing the 125-opening match by a major decision, No. 4 Austin DeSanto retaliated with a bonus point of his own. No. 2 Alex Marinelli, No. 14 Cash Wilcke, and No. 3 Sam Stoll also earned bonus points: Marinelli with a major decision, Wilcke with a fall, and Stoll with an injury default.

Wrestling for the full seven minutes – a focus for the team throughout the season – paid off at 149 with No. 13 Pat Lugo. He won his first overtime match of the season, 2-1.

The Hawkeyes went into intermission off a loss by Jeren Glosser, filling in for Young, but then won five straight matches to roll over the Wildcats.

Iowa also made up for the absence of Lee and Young by continuing its theme of the next man up, primarily at 174.

Junior Keegan Shaw hadn’t seen dual action in his career until Jan. 25, when Iowa started off its weekend at Illinois.

Normally at 149 pounds, Shaw jumped up to 174 as the newest wrestler to come out of that weight’s revolving door since All-American Michael Kemerer went down with season-ending knee surgery early in the season.

“I’ve been in this program for a while and didn’t know if I’d ever get my opportunity,” Shaw said in a release. “But I stayed around. I was there for the process and finally got an opportunity tonight, and when you go out there you have to take advantage of it because you don’t know if you’ll ever get the opportunity again.”

Shaw wrestled at Illinois and again at Northwestern to start his season (and dual meet career) at 2-0 for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa had starters out against Illinois as well, with Paul Glynn’s season debut ending in a win while filling in for Austin DeSanto.

“[Glynn and Shaw] get an opportunity, they’re excited for the opportunity, and then they do something about it,” said Iowa head coach Tom Brands in a release. “The results go in their favor. They go in our favor. They’re not in there because of charity. They’re in there because we need them. They made the most of a good situation. They should be excited.”

Lee and Young both saw action during the 31-8 win against the Illini. Lee opened up the dual meet with a fall of his ranked opponent, but then No. 5 Young was upset by No. 12 Eric Barone during the final seconds of the match.

Iowa continues its road streak at Nebraska on Feb. 3, before returning to Carver-Hawkeye on Feb. 8 for a Big Ten dual against Maryland.