It took more than the full three periods to decide the match the last time Northern Illinois sophomore wrestler Steve Bleise faced Old Dominion's Michael Hayes.
Now the two conference opponents will square off in the first round of the NCAA Championships on Thursday at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
Bleise, who comes into the tournament as the No. 14 seed at 149 pounds, is 2-0 on the season against Hayes – including an overtime 9-7 victory in the Mid-American Conference Championships earlier this month.
"Every match is a brand new situation and brings a life of its own, so we prepare from scratch and we have to go out there and let it fly," Northern Illinois coach Ryan Ludwig said.