Different time, same tale. On a fun-filled night titled “Beauty and the Beast,” the ISU wrestlers lived up to their part of the role as Beast with a dominating win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 29-6.

ISU wrestlers never saw a blemish on their individual records as the only points for Minnesota came at 133 pounds, where the Cyclones forfeited the weight for the fifth straight dual.

The Cyclones (14-3) posted their most lopsided win over the Gophers (14-8) since 1985 when they won, 39-2. With the help of 7,224 fans packed in to watch both the wrestlers and gymnastics team, Iowa State got right out the gates when No. 10 Tyler Clark (125) upset the Gopher’s seventh-ranked Zac Sanders, 3-2.

After the forfeit, due to Nick Fanthorpe still nursing a leg injury, the ball never stopped rolling for the Cyclones as they won the last eight matches. The meet finished with a win by the new No.1 HWT, David Zabriskie, after he defeated Ben Barhow, 11-6.Coach Cael Sanderson said the final score didn’t really show how close some of the matches were.

“We won a lot of close matches, and that was the key,” Sanderson said. “I’m happy that our guys found a way to win because we’ve got a big test with Nebraska on Sunday, so we’re looking forward to that already.”

Over the course of the dual, it was apparent the environment and crowd size boosted the energy level for each individual match, and the Cyclones responded by giving up only seven takedowns the entire match.

“I think we’re ready to go [for the Big 12 tournament],” Sanderson said. “It’s just a matter of being healthy and being excited to get to those tournaments.”

One health issue keeping Cyclone fans wondering is the leg injury to 133-pounder, Nick Fanthorpe. Sanderson says the junior is ready to go and plans on putting him out on the mat when the team takes on Nebraska Sunday.

Sunday’s dual with Nebraska marks the final match of the season before the Big 12 tournament and NCAA Championships. Iowa State can clinch a tie for the Big 12 conference dual title with a victory over the Cornhuskers.

Results

125- No. 10 Tyler Clark (ISU) dec. No. 7 Zac Sanders (UM), 3-2

133- No. 5 Jayson Ness (UM) won by forfeit

141- No. 4 Nick Gallick (ISU) dec. No. Mike Thorn (UM), 7-5

149- No. 18 Mitch Mueller (ISU) dec. Joe Grygelko (UM), 10-4

157- No. 8 Cyler Sanderson (ISU) dec. Tyler Safratowich (UM), 10-6

165- No. 7 Jon Reader (ISU) major dec. Scott Glasser (UM), 12-3

174- No. 19 Duke Burk (ISU) dec. Matt Everson (UM), 10-6

184- No. 18 Jerome Ward (ISU) dec. Sonny Yohn (UM), 3-2

197- No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) major dec. Gordon Bierschenk (UM), 14-4

HWT- No. 1 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 17 Ben Barhow (UM), 11-6