Northern Illinois @ Bellarmine

Bellarmine topped Northern Illinois 23-13 in a dual at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY on November 21, 2025. The hosts collected a string of bonus-point wins that separated the teams, while Northern Illinois got a big major decision from a ranked wrestler.

Northern Illinois’ Blake West, ranked #15 at 125 pounds, delivered a 10-0 major decision over Bellarmine’s Damion Ryan to earn four team points and keep NIU in the match. That was the most notable result on the NIU side and showed they could counter Bellarmine’s momentum with a decisive outing.

Bellarmine answered with multiple bonus victories. AJ Rallo, listed at #32, notched an 18-6 major decision at 141 pounds, banking four points. Andrew Liber added another major at 197 pounds, beating Ian Smith 9-0 for four more team points. Those majors helped Bellarmine build a cushion that Northern Illinois could not overcome.

The clear turning point came at 165 pounds when Bellarmine’s Noah Hall scored a fall over Colin Young, worth six team points. That pin pushed Bellarmine further ahead on the scoreboard and, combined with the majors from Rallo and Liber, produced the margin they needed in the final 23-13 outcome. Bonus-point production was the deciding factor in a dual that hinged on a few high-impact bouts rather than a long streak of close matches.