The top-ranked Minnesota Gophers proved to be too much for the 11th-ranked Illini wrestlers Sunday at Huff Hall.

The grappling Gophers dominated the dual match from the start and won seven of the 10 matches for a 28-12 victory.

Minnesota’s third-ranked Jayson Ness scored six quick team points when he pinned the Illini’s sixth-ranked Gabe Flores in the opening match of the dual.

“I think we obviously got off to a poor start with 125 (weight class),” head coach Mark Johnson said. “That was kind of a disappointment, it kind of took the crowd out of the whole match I think, but Gabe Flores will be around when it counts. He’s a money guy.”

After starting 16-0, Flores has dropped two of his last three Big Ten matches to fall to 17-2.

“Gabe didn’t show how tough he is. Gabe is good enough to be a national champion,” teammate Mike Poeta (157) said.

The Illini could not catch the Gophers, but in the most anticipated match, top-ranked Poeta defeated second-ranked C.P. Schlatter 3-2 to remain undefeated on the season.

“(Poeta) was as dominant as you could be in a one-point match,” Johnson said.

Poeta used a second-period takedown and escape to grab the lead and cut the Gopher lead to 14-6.

The win improved Poeta’s season record to 18-0.

“Being undefeated is definitely at the back of my mind during practice and in matches, but going undefeated in the regular season doesn’t mean anything, my goal coming into this year was not to be ranked No. 1 or go undefeated, my goal was to win a national title,” Poeta said. “And if I’m undefeated throughout the year that’s a bonus. But I got to get it done at the big show.”

The other bright spots for the Illini were wins by true freshman Jimmy Kennedy (133) over two-time All-American Mack Reiter, and Patrick Bond’s (197) win over Brent Eidenschink.

But despite their efforts, the Gophers added to their lead with impressive wins by their two top-ranked wrestlers and two second-ranked grapplers.

Top-ranked Dustin Schlatter (141) scored a technical fall against the Illini’s Dan Zeman, who was inserted into the Illinois starting lineup in place of the injured Troy Tirapelle.

The Illini’s John Wise lost to the top-ranked heavyweight Cole Konrad 15-1 in the final match of the afternoon.

“I thought (the dual) would be a little bit closer,” Poeta said. “We didn’t wrestle as tough as we have in the past this season.”