62 // VARSITY February 6, 2014
INSIDE
WRESTLING
Big upsets leading UW
past big-time opponents
Badgers look to continue toppling ranked foes
BY ANNA POULTER-HENDRICKSON @BADGERWRESTLING
W
isconsin's 12 wins
are the most since
the 2007-08 squad
reached 14. Its five Big Ten
Conference victories also rep-
resent a mark not reached
since that year.
The Badgers have worked
themselves out of a rough
2011-12 season that saw them
win five matches all year with
hard work and big upsets.
Wisconsin started its home
schedule with a 19-18 win
over No. 7 Illinois on Dec. 6. In
that match, freshman Isaac Jor-
dan's dominating win against
No. 15 Zac Brunson fueled the
unranked Badgers' upset win.
Wisconsin's 22-15 win
against No. 9 Ohio State on
Jan. 10 played out in simi-
lar fashion. Trailing 4-0, the
23rd-ranked Badgers needed
a spark against the Buckeyes and that is
what they got from junior Timmy McCall.
McCall defeated No. 4 Nick Heflin, 3-1,
setting in motion a string of four straight
wins that gave the Badgers a 16-4 lead.
"That was one of the key matches of
the dual right there," UW head coach
Barry Davis said of McCall's win. "It was
a big win for Timmy. I think it turned the
momentum for us. He beat the fourth-
ranked guy in the country and that led
into (Connor) Medbery's win and then
(Ryan) Taylor and (Tyler) Graff. It just
kind of snowballed from there.
"A win like that can carry you."
Another upset win was on the Bad-
gers' plate against No. 21 North Dakota
State last Sunday when unranked Scott
Liegel defeated No. 11 Hayden Zillmer
at 174 lbs. The victory marked Liegel's
first over a ranked opponent this year
and the victory proved crucial as the No.
15 Badgers defeated the Bison by just six
points, 23-17.
"He (Scott Liegel) has had so many
chances to win matches like that," Da-
vis said. "He finally did it, which is good.
Hopefully he has turned the corner now.
He has been working and training. Hope-
fully that put him over the hump and he
can build for Big Tens."
With two weeks off before a pair of
home duals against No. 7 Nebraska and
No. 3 Iowa on Feb. 21 and 23, Wisconsin
will have time to put in the hard work
needed to fuel another big upset.
SCHEDULE (12-4, 5-1)
COMING UP
Feb. 21 #7 Nebraska 7 p.m.
Feb. 23 #3 Iowa 1 p.m.
March 8-9 Big Ten Championships
Kohl Center