Northwestern’s Rivera beats Lee in Big Ten finals
Spencer Lee capped off his performance at the Big Ten Championships with a second-place finish.
Iowa’s 125-lb Spencer Lee wrestles Minnesota’s Sean Russell during the second session of the 2019 Big Ten Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis, MN on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Lee won by major decision, 8-0.
March 10, 2019
MINNEAPOLIS – After falling short at the Big Ten Championships last season, Spencer Lee had a similar result this year.
Sebastian Rivera of Northwestern toppled Lee, 6-4, in sudden victory of the 125-pound final to take home the gold medal
After a scoreless first period that included shots from both sides, Lee escaped in 25 seconds after starting on bottom.
He parlayed that point into two more with a takedown from behind.
Entering the third period with a 3-0 lead, it seemed as if Lee may pick up the elusive Big Ten title that had been avoiding him.
Then, Rivera escaped from bottom and Lee got dinged for a hands to the face call to make it 3-2 in favor of Lee.
Rivera closed the period with a clutch takedown to take a 4-3 lead, but Lee’s point for riding time sent it into overtime.
The first sudden victory period opened with an Iowa challenge for hands to the face on Rivera, but the call was not made. With 18 seconds remaining, Rivera scored the match-sealing takedown.
Iowa’s hopes for a Big Ten champion now rest in the hands of Alex Marinelli, who will compete for a title against Penn State’s Vincenzo Joseph at 165 pounds.