CLEVELAND -- Michael Kemerer and Alex Marinelli won by fall and Spencer Lee recorded an 18-0 technical fall to advance through the second round Thursday at the 2018 NCAA Championships at Quicken Loans Arena.
Kemerer recorded a second period fall in 4:52 and Marinelli ended his match in 6:15. Both wrestlers were 2-for-2 with a pair of falls on the opening day of the national tournament.
Lee outscored his two opening day opponents 36-0 to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals. He answered his 18-0 technical fall in Round 1 with an identical performance in Round 2.
Kemerer, a returning All-American and the No. 6 seed at 157, is moving onto the quarterfinals for the second straight year. Marinelli, the No. 5 seed at 165, and Lee, the No. 3 seed at 125, are each making their tournament debuts. All three wrestlers are one win from securing All-America honors.
The Hawkeyes have 27 points and sit in third place after Session II. Ohio State (36.0), Penn State (28.5), Michigan (23.0), and N.C. State (20.0) round out the top five.
Five Hawkeyes were bounced to the consolation side of the bracket in Session II. Vince Turk (141), Brandon Sorensen (149), Mitch Bowman (184), Cash Wilcke (197), and Sam Stoll (285) must win three straight matches in the wrestle-backs to reach the All-America stand.
“We have to be more physical. We have to come back stronger tomorrow,” said UI head coach Tom Brands. “This is a three-day tournament and this is day one. We are through session two and we’ve got (eight) wrestling tomorrow, so we have to be ready to go.”
The championships continue Friday at 10 a.m. (CT). The championship round and consolation round will begin simultaneously on eight mats. ESPNU and WatchESPN are providing television and online coverage of Session III.
IOWA’S SECOND ROUND NCAA RESULTS
125 - #3 Spencer Lee (Iowa) dec. #14 Luke Welch (Purdue), 18-0
141 - #1 Bryce Meredith (Wyoming) dec. Vince Turk (Iowa), 5-2
149 - #15 Ronald Perry (Lock Haven) dec. #2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa), 3-2
157 - #6 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) pinned Paul Fox (Stanford), 4:52
165 - #5 Alex Marinelli (Iowa) pinned #12 Nick Wanzek (Minnesota), 6:15
184 - #2 Myles Martin (Ohio State) major dec. Mitch Bowman (Iowa), 17-4
197 - #3 Jared Haught (Virginia Tech) dec. #14 Cash Wilcke (Iowa), 5-3
285 - #12 Youssif Hemida (Maryland) dec. #5 Sam Stoll (Iowa), 7-2
SECOND ROUND CONSOLATION RESULTS
174 - Josef Johnson (Harvard) dec. Joey Gunther (Iowa), 3-1
QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS
125 - #3 Spencer Lee (Iowa) vs. #6 Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State)
157 - #6 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) vs. #3 Jason Nolf (Penn State)
165 - #5 Alex Marinelli (Iowa) vs. #4 Chad Walsh (Rider)
CONSOLATION MATCHUPS
141 - Vince Turk (Iowa) vs. #15 Nate Limmex (Purdue)
149 - #2 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) vs. Eleazar Deluca (Rutgers)
184 - Mitch Bowman (Iowa) vs. Kayne MacCallum (Eastern Michigan)
197 - #14 Cash Wilcke (Iowa) vs. Thomas Lane (Poly)
285 - #5 Sam Stoll (Iowa) vs. Andrew Done (Virginia Tech)
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Ohio State 36.0
2. Penn State 28.5
3. IOWA 27.0
4. Michigan 23.0
5. NC State 20.0
6. Missouri 19.0
7. Oklahoma St. 15.0
8. Lehigh 14.5
9. Virginia Tech 14.5
10. Rutgers 14.0
Attendance: 18,680