Spencer Lee wrestled a better match vs Tomasello at Big Tens than in the dual

[anon_0pi0cv8t1ggvb]

He may have lost, but he was in deep on several shots and had Tomasello in trouble with an opportunity for back points. In the first dual, I don't recall Lee ever being close to scoring a TD.

He has shown that he has the ability to get in deep on shots vs Tomasello, and now he just needs to finish them.

Overall, I think he wrestled a better match at big tens than in the dual, but Tomasello smartly took neutral this time.

Let's make it 3 years running - Tomasello beating a Hawk at big tens, but the Hawks getting revenge at the one that counts at nationals!

 

[Nashville_Hawkeye]

That's how I think it's going down, Vodka! I think Lee will review, assess, make a few minor modifications and win it all.

 

[JohnBasedow]

Should have challenged it. TD would have been awarded, Nato was taken down then reached back and grabbed Spencer’s leg.

 

[Lsanders20]

Should have challenged it. TD would have been awarded, Nato was taken down then reached back and grabbed Spencer’s leg.

Agreed, it was td. Ironside referred to the refs several times that they were killing us. This was a killer

 

[anon_0pi0cv8t1ggvb]

That makes it two years in a row Tomasello wins controversially against a Hawk at big tens.

His win last year over Clark was bs.

 

[Sett1997]

I thought the stalemate shouldn’t have been called either. Lee was still working the position.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

He may have lost, but he was in deep on several shots and had Tomasello in trouble with an opportunity for back points. In the first dual, I don't recall Lee ever being close to scoring a TD.

He has shown that he has the ability to get in deep on shots vs Tomasello, and now he just needs to finish them.

Overall, I think he wrestled a better match at big tens than in the dual, but Tomasello smartly took neutral this time.

Let's make it 3 years running - Tomasello beating a Hawk at big tens, but the Hawks getting revenge at the one that counts at nationals!

Agree 100%. And if they meet in two weeks, Tomasello will undoubtedly take neutral again. That means he has almost no margin for error. Spencer knows that if he takes him down at all, he very likely wins the match. Tomasello was fortunate this time that the TD wasn't called for Spencer. If you take neutral against a guy of Spencer's caliber, odds are that it's going to come back to bite you. Would be tough to beat Spencer twice in a row with that strategy.

 

[ohio2375]

As I watched the match a part of me was thinking/hoping how awesome or ballsy it would have been if Lee chose top in the third. Would any of you have had the stones to give that order? I am not sure Nato can beat him if he gets taken down because of Lee’s top game so it got me to wondering this.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

As I watched the match a part of me was thinking/hoping how awesome or ballsy it would have been if Lee chose top in the third. Would any of you have had the stones to give that order? I am not sure Nato can beat him if he gets taken down because of Lee’s top game so it got me to wondering this.

Definitely crossed my mind. However, I think Spencer proved yesterday that they're basically even on their feet. If he does take him down, he's almost assured of winning the match. I still say to take your escape point and go after him on your feet. But I'd still hesitate a little.

 

[LutherAce]

I still say to take your escape point and go after him on your feet.

This is the correct strategy at that point. Take your point and allow yourself the opportunity that if you get taken down, you can escape and tie it up again. Taking top would've given the possibility of a NATO escape, and then back pedaling while looking active and winning 1-0.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

This is the correct strategy at that point. Take your point and allow yourself the opportunity that if you get taken down, you can escape and tie it up again. Taking top would've given the possibility of a NATO escape, and then back pedaling while looking active and winning 1-0.

Exactly. The key is to get aggressive early. Tomasello wants to score his winning takedown in the closing seconds so he can hold on as time expires. If you're Spencer, you have the luxury of giving up that takedown and still coming back with an escape to either win it or send it to OT -- where Spencer has a big advantage.

Tomasello needs to avoid giving up a takedown, take Spencer down without allowing an escape, and/or take him down at least twice. Taking neutral worked out well for him this time, but it puts him at a decided strategic disadvantage.

Of course, all of this is easy for me to say from the comfort of home and much tougher to do. But Spencer is a tough hombre. I like his chances.

 

[24 so far]

NATO is really good, so let's get that out of the way first and foremost. But he's a lot like Megaludis against Iowa Wrestlers where there main goal is to keep it close and steal one late. Good strategy if the Iowa Wrestlers and Referees let them pull it off.

I do think Spencer Lee is better, even now. He has to put on more pressure and let the chips fall where they may. Easier said than done perhaps, but the kid has an amazing arsenal from every position. So it goes South and he gets beat 7-4 or something, instead of a 2-1 stallfest. A loss is a loss at that point, the margin doesn't matter.

Now his gas tank may be an issue, can't say for certain, been up and down with that a bit it seems, but go down swinging if you're going down. He's got the goods, put them on display. That's what the great ones do, if he wants to be in that conversation, that is what needs to be done. Impose your will son, you got this.

 

[Aleric1]

How Spencer Lee comes out and wrestles Riviera will be the determining factor for my expectations at Nationals. If he can open it up, just like Sorenson did against Deakin then I feel much more confident about Nationals. If it is another close one, then I’m much more concerned about running the gauntlet at Nationals.

 

[93hawkeye]

National's seeding is gonna be big. Wrestling Tomato Friday night is the best opportunity to beat him. He will have the least energy for any match in the tourney on Fri night

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

National's seeding is gonna be big. Wrestling Tomato Friday night is the best opportunity to beat him. He will have the least energy for any match in the tourney on Fri night

If he makes the finals, he’ll probably be titling the scale around 150 by the time he wrestles, with lots of energy. Tough combo to beat, but if anyone can, Spencer can.

 

[93hawkeye]

If he makes the finals, he’ll probably be titling the scale around 150 by the time he wrestles, with lots of energy. Tough combo to beat, but if anyone can, Spencer can.

That's why I'm saying meet him in the semis on Friday night.

 

[LumbeeIndian]

Lee is my pick for Iowa’s one national champion this year.

 

[IAChief32]

Also, looking at the match between him and Rivera, Spencer wrestled the whole 3 periods. Looks like his tank is fine to me. I think he gives NATO too much respect and is a little tentative on his finishes.

 

[IAChief32]

If he makes the finals, he’ll probably be titling the scale around 150 by the time he wrestles, with lots of energy. Tough combo to beat, but if anyone can, Spencer can.

I say we continue the tradition and beat him in the semis Is it scary that Spencer, as a true freshman, is on the same level as Gilman and Clark? Wow.

 

[crablegs1]

If he makes the finals, he’ll probably be titling the scale around 150 by the time he wrestles, with lots of energy. Tough combo to beat, but if anyone can, Spencer can.

There is no way he is tipping 150. Maybe 135. You think he’s dropping 25 pounds each week?

 

[IAChief32]

There is no way he is tipping 150. Maybe 135. You think he’s dropping 25 pounds each week?

I don’t think he lets himself go each week. Probably a disciplined guy but if he no longer has to weigh in...

 

[Descat1]

How Spencer Lee comes out and wrestles Riviera will be the determining factor for my expectations at Nationals. If he can open it up, just like Sorenson did against Deakin then I feel much more confident about Nationals. If it is another close one, then I’m much more concerned about running the gauntlet at Nationals.

I guess you must be feeling great now, because he hammered Rivera. I just want to know where the poster is that made a bet that Rivera would place higher than Lee or beat Lee at the Big 10. The score went from 7-4 in match one to 12-0 in match two with about 4 minutes of riding time with Rivera spending most of that time stalling on bottom. Lee also got off the bottom from Rivera this time easily when during the last match Rivera was able to put a good ride on him. It was a dominant win over a wrestler that has lost to Suriano by a point and then again by 3 points after giving up a late TD. It was great progression for the young freshman.

 

[pablow]

There is no way he is tipping 150. Maybe 135. You think he’s dropping 25 pounds each week?

It's called poetic license.

 

[natchrlman]

If he makes the finals, he’ll probably be titling the scale around 150 by the time he wrestles, with lots of energy. Tough combo to beat, but if anyone can, Spencer can.

I say we continue the tradition and beat him in the semis Is it scary that Spencer, as a true freshman, is on the same level as Gilman and Clark? Wow.

He’s an unreal talent ....amazing considering he was in high school last year at this time and fresh off ACL surgery....Tomasello is the only one in the country that I think can hang with him and even though Lee lost I see him winning that match more often than not....Tomasello had to do a hell of a lot of game planning to squeak out that win...with a little help from the ref

 

[ChiPackHawk]

He may have lost, but he was in deep on several shots and had Tomasello in trouble with an opportunity for back points. In the first dual, I don't recall Lee ever being close to scoring a TD.

He has shown that he has the ability to get in deep on shots vs Tomasello, and now he just needs to finish them.

Overall, I think he wrestled a better match at big tens than in the dual, but Tomasello smartly took neutral this time.

Let's make it 3 years running - Tomasello beating a Hawk at big tens, but the Hawks getting revenge at the one that counts at nationals!

You are correct. I thought he out wrestled Tomasello for 6 1/2 minutes. Unfortunately he did not wrestle a smart last 30 seconds. Again, he will learn.

 

[Descat1]

He’s an unreal talent ....amazing considering he was in high school last year at this time and fresh off ACL surgery....Tomasello is the only one in the country that I think can hang with him and even though Lee lost I see him winning that match more often than not....Tomasello had to do a hell of a lot of game planning to squeak out that win...with a little help from the ref

I just read that with Lee winning the outstanding Freshman award that he is the sixth Hawkeye in program history to win the award, joining Tom Brands (1989), Lincoln MclIravy (1993), Jeff McGinness (1994), Steve Mocco (2002), and Matt McDonough (2010). That is a great group to join...