Wrestling | 1/5/2015 6:22:00 PM

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MOORHEAD, Minn. -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead wrestling team opens the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season this week with a pair of home duals. The Dragons will host Northern State at 7 p.m. on Thursday and then wrap up the week with a home dual against Minnesota State, Mankato on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Both matches will be at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn.'Live video can be accessed at the link above.

MSUM (1-1 duals) is coming off a 33-6 win over Long Island University-Post in its last action on Dec. 21 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Dragons won eight of the 10 matches contested and got pins from freshman Shane Novak (125) and seniors Michael Joseph (174) and Shawn Porter (184).

Sophomore Blake Bosch is 10-5 at 133 pounds for MSUM, while sophomore Nader Abdullatif is 9-6 at 285 pounds.  Joseph is 7-5 wrestling at the 174 and 184 spots. Sophomore Garret Hoffner is 5-1 at 157 pounds while Novak is 4-1 at 125. Senior Philippe Walker is 6-5 at 141 pounds while Porter is 7-6 at 184.

Kris Nelson is in his sixth season as MSUM's head coach.

About Northern State: The Wolves are 0-1 in duals this season, having lost to Chadron State, 34-6 on Jan. 11.  Joe Gomez is 11-3 at 197 for Northern while Sean Havlovic (157) and Tanner Olson (165) are both 5-4.  Pat Timm is in his 14th season as Northern's head coach.

About Minnesota State: The Mavericks, who will face Minot State at home on Friday prior to facing MSUM, have yet to compete in a dual this season.  They have competed in several individual tournaments, however, and are led by junior Malcolm Allen, who is 23-8 at 285 pounds, while Da'Wayne Allen is 21-7 at 125 pounds. Alphonso Vruno is 16-7 at 141 pounds. Jim Makovsky is in his 22nd season as the head coach at Minnesota State.