The ISU wrestling team faced its third Big 12 opponent in a week and came out on top Thursday.

After losses to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, No. 7 Iowa State rallied after a somewhat slow start to overpower the No. 9 Missouri Tigers 26-16.

The win raised Iowa State’s record to 2-3 in the Big 12 Conference and 14-5 overall. Missouri stands at 1-2 in the conference and 12-2 overall.

In the 125-pound match, the Tigers’ Mark Bader won by decision over Iowa State’s Ty Malia putting the Tigers ahead by three.

Returning from injury, Iowa State’s 133-pound wrestler, Zach Roberson, had an outstanding performance scoring a technical fall over his opponent.

“I think I did pretty good and my ankle is almost healed.” Roberson said. “I tried not to think about my ankle and focused on my match. It is really important getting wins against Big 12 opponents, and I have to get ready just as much as if I was going against any opponent.”

A low point came for the Cyclones when fifth-ranked Aaron Holker was pinned in the first period.

“He got caught,” head coach Bobby Douglas said, “and we thought he was prepared.”

Billy Maldonado and Matt Veach both won by decisions and pulled the team ahead of the Tigers by two.

In the next match, Joe Heskett looked strong pinning his opponent with only 18 seconds left in the match.

“I tried to score points in the match, and it ended in my favor,” Heskett said. “He got tired and I had a chance to pin. And most of the year in every match I try to score points. “

The Tigers drew closer with wins over Nick Passolano and Austen Palmer to move within one point of Iowa State, 17 to 16.

The next match featured sixth-ranked Scott Barker and No. 1 ranked Cael Sanderson.

With a high intensity start, Sanderson connected with a powerful double-leg takedown in the second period.

The match almost ended in a pin when Barker shot in, but Sanderson turned it into a three-point near fall winning the match 22-7.

This pushed the Cyclones ahead and Sanderson’s record to 149-0.

Big 12 wrestler of the week Mark Knauer began the final match with a takedown and an attempt to pin his opponent that lasted for almost the entire first period.

After reversing his opponent following a near fall in the second period, Knauer set up another near fall.

He repeated himself in the third period with another reverse, and later took down his opponent to win the match and the dual.

“Winning felt good, but I have more to do, Knauer said. “The team fired off at the end, and when we pull together, we can do whatever we want to do.’

Douglas said that Knauer is improving rapidly since he is doing the right things and wants to win.

With the win, the Cyclones ended a two-match conference losing streak.

“Ending the streak is good. We proved that we are on top, but we have things to work on and get focused for the conference tournament.” Heskett said.

On Sunday, the Cyclones travel to Tempe, Ariz., to face the No. 11 Arizona State Sun Devils. Arizona State is coached by former ISU assistant coach Thom Ortiz.

Douglas is looking forward to the challenge.

“We have faced Arizona State at the National Duals and will see them again at the championships,” he said.

“They are a strong team, and we are going to send them a message.”