California Baptist @ North Dakota State

North Dakota State held off California Baptist 25-15 at North Dakota State University in Fargo on January 20, 2024. The dual came down to bonus-point wrestling, with four matches ending in either falls or a major decision that swung the margin.

California Baptist picked up two huge bonus wins when Elijah Griffin pinned Ryan Henningson at 125 pounds and Hunter Leake pinned Fernando Barreto at 133, each worth six team points. Those falls gave the Lancers a significant chunk of their 15 team points and kept the dual competitive through the middle weights.

North Dakota State answered with its own bonus scoring in the upper classes. Gaven Sax delivered an 8-0 major decision over Justin Phillips at 174 for four points, and heavyweight Devon Dawson closed with a fall over Chris Island for six more. That combination of a major and a pin provided the decisive swing that pushed the Bison to a 10-point margin.

In the end, the four bonus outcomes were the story: two pins for California Baptist and a major plus a pin for North Dakota State. NDSU’s ability to pair those bonus wins with other team points across the lineup produced the 25-15 final in Fargo.