The BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma was rocking for the National Wrestling Duals semifinal rivalry matchup between the No.3 Iowa Hawkeyes and the No.5 Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Hawkeyes defeated the Cowboys 18-16.

The third round semifinal matchup was filled with close matches and upsets. The dual kicked off with Iowa No.10 125-pound Dean Petersen defeated Oklahoma State No.2 Troy Spratley 5-4 with a late 3rd period takedown. Iowa’s No.9 141-pound Nasir Bailey, and No.2 165-pound Michael Caliendo were also by OSU’s Sergio Vego and LaDarion Lockett. 

Oklahoma State saw their No.4 149-pound Casey Swiderski fall to Iowa’s Ryder Block, as well as their No.9 197-pound Cody Merrill fall to Iowa’s Massoma Endene 4-3. That upset put the nail in the coffin as the Cowboys forfeited at 285 after going down 18-10.

The headlining matchup entering the dual was between the two redshirt freshmen at 184, where Iowa’s No.2 Angelo Ferrari defeated Oklahoma State’s Zack Ryder 4-2.

The loss will put Oklahoma State into the 3rd place match against Nebraska. The two teams will get right back on the mat to wrestle again on Sunday, Nov.16. Iowa will look forward to the championship match against Ohio State, who took care of Nebraska in dominant fashion. The championship match will grant the winner a prize of 200 thousand dollars, and will take place later tonight at 6pm.