Posted: Feb 05, 2016

Storm wrestlers travel to Buena Vista on Friday

The Simpson wrestling team returns to action after a two-week layoff when it travels to Storm Lake, Iowa to face Buena Vista in an Iowa Conference Dual on Friday, Feb. 5. Start time is set for 7 p.m. at Siebens Fieldhouse.

Dual Setup
Matchup: Simpson (2-9, 0-5) at Buena Vista (2-8, 0-4)
Date: Friday, Feb. 5
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Siebens Fieldhouse - Storm Lake, Iowa

Live Coverage
Video: BVUAthletics.com

Last time out
Simpson wrestlers last took the mat on Saturday, Jan. 23 when the Storm dropped three duals at the Iowa Conference Duals in Cedar Rapids, Losing to No. 12 Luther (46-0), No. 14 Coe (37-12) and Loras (38-6). Colby Vlieger led the Storm by going 2-1 at 285. Jason Kiehne (141), RJ Brown (165) and Brett Roberts (184) all went 1-2.

A look at Buena Vista
Like Simpson, the Beavers enter Friday's dual in search of their first conference win. Buena Vista is 2-8 overall and 0-4 in the Iowa Conference with their wins coming against St. Olaf and Huntingdon. Most recently, Buena Vista lost three duals at the IIAC Duals on Jan. 23, falling to No. 1 Wartburg (50-0), No. 23 Central (40-9) and Dubuque (39-3). Freshman 149-pounder Brad Kerkhoff leads the team with a 13-8 mark and has won three matches in a row.

The all-time series
Simpson is 15-26 all-time against Buena Vista in a series that began in 1967-68. Buena Vista had won three in a row against Simpson before the Storm scored a 26-13 win last season in Indianola.

Projected Lineup
125 - Chase Erickson (0-12)
133 - open
141 - Jason Kiehne (10-10)
149 - Jacob Mize (12-9)
157 - Jason Clark (11-11)
165 - RJ Brown (9-12)
174 - Spencer Ward (5-19)
184 - Brett Roberts (19-6)
197 - Damon Piatt (3-14)
285 - Colby Vlieger (17-15)

STORM NOTES

Mize makes the cut
After spending most of his first three seasons in Indianola at 157 pounds, junior Jacob Mize is making the cut to 149. Currently 12-9 on the season, Mize has one dual at 149 under his belt - a tech fall win in an exhibition match at the IIAC Duals. Mize is 46-44 during his career, the second-most career wins on Simpson's active roster.

Getting fresh
The Storm are wrestling for the first time in almost two weeks Friday after canceling their trip to Loras' Duhawk Open on Jan. 30. Simpson is entering the stretch run of its schedule; the trip to Central on Feb. 11 closes the regular season. The NCAA Central Region Championships take place in Dubuque on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Roberts looks to get back on track
Senior Brett Roberts started the season on fire, going 17-2 and climbing as high as No. 8 in the NWCA Individual Rankings at 184 pounds. After a trying showing at the IIAC Duals, Roberts is currently unranked with two wins in his last six matches. He has momentum heading into the stretch run, though, beating Coe's Casey Rohret in the final match of the IIAC Duals. Roberts has a chance to pick up a pair of IIAC wins before the regional qualifier.

The coach
A former NCAA Division III national champion and Division I assistant, Nate Hansen is in his fourth season at Simpson. Hansen is 13-48 overall and is coming off Simpson's best dual record in nine seasons, when the Storm went 7-11 in 2014-15.

Up next
Simpson goes to Central on Thursday, Feb. 11 to close the dual season.