It took defeat and disappointment, but the losses have finally yielded success for two redshirt freshmen.

Michael Moreno and Luke Goettl are just two of nine freshmen that have taken the mat in ISU singlets this season, and both have walked off the mat with disappointment — Moreno started his season 0-6 in dual action, Goettl began 0-4.

As the team’s starter at 157 pounds for the opening meets in Boston, Moreno quickly ran into trouble with injuries in his first two matches. Those injures put an early halt to his Cyclone career.

“Having to battle through two separate injuries in the first dual of the year was a mental damager to me,” Moreno said. “It was hard to come back and it’s a tough schedule. Mentally I just don’t think I was attached to what I needed to be attached to.”

For Goettl, injury opened the door for his entrance into the lineup. While wrestling Boston, Max Mayfield suffered a concussion. After R.J. Hallman had one opportunity at 141 pounds, Goettl stepped in.

It was not a happy beginning for Goettl though, as he was pinned in his first match and dropped his next three against highly ranked opponents, including No. 1 Kendric Maple of Oklahoma.

Last Friday when the team traveled to Norman, Okla., to face the Sooners, both Moreno and Goettl continued their newfound success as Moreno defeated No. 14 Matt Lester and Goettl topped No. 1 Maple.

The success for Moreno and Goettl has come following their first dual victories. Since Moreno won at Arizona State, he has gone 3-2 on the mat while Goettl has a 9-4 record since his loss against Minnesota.

ISU coach Kevin Jackson said those victories have helped the young wrestlers turn the corner.

“I think anytime you can get a win when you’re the starter at a Division I university it helps your confidence,” Jackson said. “Confidence is a key part of our sport and getting a win is very important so you can recognize that you are capable.”

With so many freshmen on the team, Moreno does not feel unique in his early season struggles and he thinks he is finally headed in the right direction.

“Some freshmen are able to get right into it, they’re able to jump that mental hurdle right away,” Moreno said. “I think my problems aren’t unique to just me, I think it’s definitely a freshman thing. Some people are just better at [handling it] than others.”

As his first regular season nears its end, Goettl is figuring it out too.

“Sometimes it just clicks one day, and you decide you have to do everything right instead of just some things,” Goettl said. “If you do everything right, you’re going to win.”