MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State University wrestling team lost in a close 18-17 match against Minnesota State University Moorhead on Thursday evening in front of an energetic crowd of 385.
 
Starting at 157, the Dragons earned the first lead of the night, a lead that would be traded back and forth between the teams until the end of the dual.
 
Parker Osterman (165) earned the first win of the night for MSU with a tech. fall victory after four minutes and 32 seconds. After the match, Osterman pumped his arms in excitement for the crowd to make some noise.
 
"It was a boring way to end the match so I decided I needed to help everyone get pumped up," Osterman said. "I didn't even know that I was up by that much. I was just trying to pin him the whole time and I looked up and I was up 14-1. It was good to get the tech. fall, but I wanted to get the pin for the extra point."
 
The crowd provided, when the Beavers needed it as three different MSU wrestlers acknowledged those in attendance after the win.
 
"It's huge," Osterman said about the home fans. "Usually in wrestling it's pretty quiet so if you can get the crowd behind you it helps you get pumped and find that edge."
 
Osterman was just one of five Beavers who earned wins on the night with Keegan Berry (184), Briley Crissler (197), Michael Rangel (125) and Jered Sublet (141) all earning victories. Head coach Evan Forde was disappointed he couldn't get his first NSIC victory, but liked how his team wrestled.
 
"Picking up this conference win has been elusive for us," Forde said. "I think if we wrestle tomorrow like we did tonight then we're going to come home with a win. I was impressed by how the guys performed. I was pleased with the intensity tonight. Our guys had each other's backs. Some of the guys we normally count on didn't come through, but their teammates picked them up."
 
Minot State will travel to Northern State tomorrow, February 17 for its final dual of the season. The NSIC dual is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
 
About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.