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TULSA, Okla. – The No. 12 Fighting Illini wrestling team split their second session at the National Duals Invitational sponsored by Paycom falling in the quarterfinal round to No. 4 Iowa, 13-24, and beating No. 7 Lehigh in the second round of wrestlebacks, 21-13.
Lucas Byrd went 3-0 in his matches today which puts him at exactly 100 wins in his career. His career record is now 100-16 going 44-3 in dual action.
IOWA RECAP
After Iowa took the first bout at 125 pounds to go up 3-0, Byrd had a rematch with a familiar foe in No. 2 Drake Ayala whom he beat in March in the Big Ten and NCAA finals. This time around it was no different as Byrd cruised to a 7-2 decision win to tie the dual back up at three, the closest it would get the rest of the night.
Iowa won the matches at 141 and 149 pounds before No. 10 (157 pounds) Kannon Webster earned a ranked win over No. 11 Jordan Williams in dominate fashion with a 11-2 major decision to cut into the Hawkeye lead, 7-11.
The next four matches went in favor of the Hawkeyes with a 24-7 lead headed into the heavyweight bout. No. 8 Luke Luffman won via injury default over Gage Marty to capture six-team points, but it wasn't enough as Illinois fell to Iowa, 13-24.
RESULTS
#12 Illinois 13, #4 Iowa 24
Nov. 15, 2025 I Tulsa, Okla. I BOK Center
125: #10 Dean Peterson (IOWA) dec. #23 Spencer Moore (ILL), 4-2 // ILL 0, IOWA 3
133: #1 Lucas Byrd (ILL) dec. #2 Drake Ayala (IOWA), 7-2 // ILL 3, IOWA 3
141: #9 Nasir Bailey (IOWA) tech. fall Joey Ruzic (ILL), 17-2 (4:14) // ILL 3, IOWA 8
149: #29 Kael Voinovich (IOWA) dec. Danny Nini (ILL), 2-1 // ILL 3, IOWA 11
157: #10 Kannon Webster (ILL) major dec. #11 Jordan Williams (IOWA), 11-2 // ILL 7, IOWA 11
165: #2 Michael Caliendo (IOWA) dec. #8 Braeden Scoles (ILL), 9-4 // ILL 7, IOWA 14
174: #2 Patrick Kennedy (IOWA) dec. Colin Kelly (ILL), 5-3 // ILL 7, IOWA 17
184: #3 Angelo Ferrari (IOWA) dec. #26 Chris Moore (ILL), 7-3 // ILL 7, IOWA 20
197: #16 Massoma Endene (IOWA) major dec. Cade Lautt (ILL), 14-4 // ILL 7, IOWA 24
285: #8 Luke Luffman (ILL) over Gage Marty (IOWA), injury default (3:22) // ILL 13, IOWA 24
LEHIGH RECAP
The dual against Lehigh went back-and-forth with three lead changes and each team holding a lead of five or more points. Lehigh got on the board first winning the first bout before No. 1 Byrd earned bonus points in his 20-4 (6:31) tech. fall win over Mason Ziegler which turned out to be his 100th career win. Illinois led 5-3 at this moment.
The Mountain Hawks battled back scoring seven-team points in the next two matches to reclaim the lead, 10-5. No. 10 Webster earned another ranked win over No. 19 Logan Rozynski to cut into the Lehigh lead, 8-10, but No. 9 Max Brignola got those points right back at 165 pounds defeating No. 8 Braeden Scoles, 4-2. This would be the final bout that Lehigh won leading 13-8 at this moment.
Colin Kelly (174 pounds) sparked the Illini's winning streak with his 5-1 decision over Dom Federici. No. 26 (184 pounds) Chris Moore battled with No. 21 Rylan Rogers all the way to tie breakers eventually earning the 3-2 win to put Illinois back in front 14-13.
At 197 pounds Cade Lautt major decisioned Remy Brancato, 11-3, and No. 8 Luffman decisioned Calvin Lachman, 11-4, to give the Fighting Illini the 21-13 upset win.
RESULTS
#12 Illinois 21, #7 Lehigh 13
Nov. 15, 2025 I Tulsa, Okla. I BOK Center
125: #5 Sheldon Seymour (LEH) dec. #23 Spencer Moore (ILL), 7-2 // ILL 0, LEH 3
133: #1 Lucas Byrd (ILL) tech. fall Mason Ziegler (LEH), 20-4 (6:31) // ILL 5, LEH 3
141: Carter Bailey (LEH) major dec. Kole Brower (ILL), 14-0 // ILL 5, LEH 7
149: Anthony Evanitsky (LEH) dec. Danny Nini (ILL), SV-1 4-1 // Â ILL 5, LEH 10
157: #10 Kannon Webster (ILL) dec. #19 Logan Rozynski (LEH), 8-2 // ILL 8, LEH 10
165: #9 Max Brignola (LEH) dec. #8 Braeden Scoles (ILL), 4-2 // ILL 8, LEH 13
174: Colin Kelly (ILL) dec. Dom Federici (LEH), 5-1 // ILL 11, LEH 13
184: #26 Chris Moore (ILL) dec. #21 Rylan Rogers (LEH), TB-1 3-2 // ILL 14, LEH 13
197: Cade Lautt (ILL) major dec. Remy Brancato (LEH), 11-3 // ILL 18, LEH 13
285: #8 Luke Luffman (ILL) dec. Calvin Lachman (LEH), 11-4 // ILL 21, LEH 13
UP NEXT
The Illini matmen are back in action tomorrow, Nov. 16, for the final day of the National Duals Invitational with a dual against No. 11 Virginia Tech at 10 a.m. If they win, they will face the winner of No. 10 Minnesota or No. 17 Missouri in the fifth-place dual for $50,000 at 12 p.m. If they lose, they will face the loser of Minnesota or Missouri in the seventh-place dual for $25,000 also at 12 p.m. CT.
