Cyclones Take Down Michigan State, 30-10

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The No. 22 Iowa State wrestling team (8-4 overall, 1-2 Big 12) scored bonus points in all seven victories against Michigan State (4-13 overall, 0-8 Big 10) en route to a 30-10 dual win Friday night.

"Scoring bonus points allows you to win a lot easier," head coach Kevin Jackson said. "If you think about dominating your opponent the bonus point win is going to come into play. That’s our philosophy here at Iowa State, and that’s what we’re built on."

The seven bonus point wins were the most by the Cyclones this season, breaking their previous best of six which came in a 31-12 dual win at Drexel back on Jan. 13 in Philadelphia.

The dual began at 125 pounds, where redshirt sophomore Ryak Finch was active early and often en route to an 11-0 major decision over MSU’s Brenan Lyon. True freshman John Meeks and redshirt sophomore Luke Goettl followed suit both picking up major decisions to give the Cyclones an early 12-0 lead in the dual.

"I tell you what, we knew that if our lightweights came out and wrestled the way they were capable of that we could have a pretty dominate performance tonight," Jackson said. "Ryak got it started, and then John was able to seal a bonus point win late, which was good see. We were very happy with those first three weight classes."

Meeks defeated MSU’s Brandon Fifield 10-2 with 2:20 of riding time. The major decision was the Des Moines, Iowa natives’ first as an Iowa State Cyclone.

The Cyclones held on to a 12-6 lead heading into the intermission after the bout at 157 pounds. Iowa State would go on to score bonus points in the next four matches, highlighted by a pin (4:09) at 197 pounds by No. 7 Kyven Gadson over MSU’s Luke Jones.

Gadson has now won eight-straight matches since the Midlands Championships on Dec. 30 in Evanston, Ill. During the streak, he has beaten three top-10 opponents, scoring bonus points in five of his seven victories

Iowa State travels to Ypsilanti, Mich. on Sunday to face Eastern Michigan in the finale of its road trip north. Wrestling begins at 12 p.m. (CST) from Bowen Field House.

Match-By-Match Results:

125: Ryak Finch (ISU) mdec. Brenan Lyon (MSU), 11-0

133: John Meeks (ISU) mdec. Brandon Fifield (MSU), 10-2

141: Luke Goettl (ISU) mdec. Nick Trimble (MSU), 12-2

149: Dan Osterman (MSU) dec. Max Mayfield (ISU), 6-2

157: Ryan Watts (MSU) dec. Logan Molina (ISU), 2-1

165: No. 19 Michael Moreno (ISU) mdec. Nick Proctor (MSU), 13-1

174: No. 20 Tanner Weatherman (ISU) mdec. Jordan Wohlfert (MSU), 16-5

184: No. 15 Boaz Beard (ISU) mdec. Eric Ford (MSU), 14-4

197: No. 7 Kyven Gadson (ISU) WBF Luke Jones (MSU), (4:09)

HWT: No. 7 Mike McCLure (MSU) mdec. Matt Gibson (ISU), 9-1