For the second time in its last three dual meets, the NIU wrestling team had to wait until the final match of the night to decide the meet.

On Feb. 6 against Eastern Michigan, NIU’s Bryan Deutsch lost a 6-4 decision in the final match of the evening, resulting in an 18-16 NIU loss. Saturday at Buffalo, NIU got the result it wanted.

Tied with the Bulls at 15-15, NIU’s Dakota Greenhaw stepped on to the mat to take on Buffalo’s Brett Correll at heavyweight in the final match of the night. Greenhaw was able to pin Correll in the third period, securing NIU’s first MAC victory of the season.

“I knew it was coming down to if I won, we won, if I lost, we lost,” Greenhaw said. “I just had to go out there and give it my all.”

The first period of the match was scoreless, and Correll had an escape to take a 1-0 lead in the second period. But Greenhaw pinned Correll with two seconds remaining in the period.

“I was so tired, I knew if I didn’t pin him, then it would be a lot harder to go on,” Greenhaw said.

Saturday’s meet was the team’s last dual before the MAC Championships, which take place March 7 in Ypsilanti, Mich. Since re-joining the MAC in 1996-97, NIU head coach Dave Grant’s first season, the Huskies have only been winless in conference play once — that first year.

“It’s a good way to go into the MAC (championships) with a great deal of confidence, and it’s nice to get a win as a team,” Grant said.

In addition to Greenhaw, Pat McLemore also pinned his opponent, and three other Huskies were able to earn victories. True freshman Izzy Montemayor won a 2-1 decision over Buffalo’s Dan
Bishop, becoming the first NIU freshman to reach 20 victories in over 10 years. Deutsch and John Odeen were also able to pick up decisions. Tristen DeShazer was also bidding for his 20th win but lost an 8-2 decision to Buffalo’s Kevin Smith.

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