Dragons fall in regular season dual finale
MARSHALL, Minn. – The MSUM wrestling team battled back from an early 13-0 deficit to climb within one but came up short against Southwest Minnesota State University on Saturday, dropping a 20-15 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference dual in Marshall, Minn.
MSUM fell to 8-8 overall and 3-5 in the NSIC with the loss, while SMSU improved to 13-6 overall and 3-5 in the league.
The match started at 165 pounds, and SMSU won the first four matches, including one by major decision, to take a 13-0 lead.
Fugleberg stopped the streak with a win by decision at 285, topping Jon Gorter 5-0, to bring MSUM within 13-3.
Freshman Mitch Dunlap won by fall for MSUM, while sophomore Philippe Walker beat the No. 8 wrestler in the nation, Justin Reinsma, at 133 pounds. Sophomore Gerad Fugleberg improved to 17-13 with a win at 285, while senior Jacob Bennett claimed a win at 157 for the Dragons.
MSUM competes at the NCAA Super Regional 3 meet in Waterloo, Iowa, on Feb. 24.
Dragons fall twice; Novak grabs 1,000th rebound
MSUM’s men’s basketball team took an 11-point lead into halftime, but St. Cloud State rallied in the second half to earn a 75-67 win over the Dragons in NSIC action Friday night in St. Cloud, Minn. Senior Anthony Tucker paced the Dragons with a game-high 22 points.
On Saturday night senior Alex Novak surpassed 1,000 rebounds for his career, but a rally by the MSUM men’s basketball team fell short against Minnesota-Duluth.
MSUM fell to 16-10 overall and 10-10 in the NSIC with the loss.
MSUM shot 44.4 percent (24- of-54) for the game, compared to 50.9 percent (29-of-57) for UMD.
The Dragons got as close as seven in the final minutes but ultimately ran out of time as the Bulldogs went on to take the eight-point win.
The Dragons return home for the final NSIC regular-season weekend when they host University of Mary on Friday, Feb. 22.
Records set at Last Chance Invitational
MSUM’s women’s swimming and diving team swam several lifetime bests during the Last Chance Invitational hosted by the Dragons Saturday at the Alex Nemzek Pool.
MSUM, St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, Mankato and North Dakota State had swimmers compete at the meet.
In the 200 free, MSUM sophomore Susie Kitzman swam a lifetime best 2:02.24, winning the event. In the 100 backstroke, Annie Bordak set a pool record of 58.69 in winning the event; she was just .34 seconds away from the school record. The previous pool record was 59.64.
Sophomore Megan Sanford won the 500 freestyle (5:25.15), while Kaitlyn McKinney broke the magical minute barrier for the first time in the 100 butterfly with a perfect 59.99. SCSU’s Crandall set the pool record at 57.03.
In 1-meter diving, freshman Emily Pascavis had her fourth lifetime best score in a row but came up short of the 390 points needed for nationals with a 382.45.
MSUM’s junior diving tandem of Kelsey Jandro and Shayna Dugger will compete at the pre-qualifying round of nationals in early March.
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