The Boilermaker Challenge turned out to be a tough test for NIU’s young wrestlers in their first dual meet of the season.

The Huskies opened up the weekend with a 35-4 win over Campbellsville. The rest of the day did not fair well for NIU as it dropped its other two match-ups with Chattanooga, 28-12, and Purdue, 32-9.

Out of the 10 encounters against the Tigers, the Huskies took nine of them including two falls. Sophomore Tristen DeShazer grabbed a fall in 2:41 in the 133 class and fellow sophomore Vince Castillo got a fall in 4:12 in the 141 class.

From there the day turned around drastically for NIU.

The Huskies only pulled out three individual wins against the Mocs. Castillo won his second contest with a 5-0 decision.

Freshman Israel Montemayor also helped out NIU with a 4-1 decision.

Host Purdue knocked out the Huskies in eight of the 10 individual matches. DeShazer was one of the two NIU wrestlers to pick up a win, with a fall in 0:32.

Even though his second bout was won by forfeit, freshman Zak Saevre won all three of his matches Saturday in the 285-pound class. Saevre also acquired a 3-2 decision against Purdue.

The Huskies will continue their season this at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Nebraska-Omaha Open.

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