For the most part, No. 7 Nebraska’s blowout win over the Maryland wrestling team unfolded as expected. With a lineup that features seven ranked wrestlers, Nebraska dominated from start to finish, ultimately winning by a score of 38-6. Seniors Youssif Hemida and Alfred Bannister were the lone Terps to pick up victories.

But the 165-pound bout had plenty of fireworks, as Maryland’s Philip Spadafora nearly pulled a stunning upset, coming seconds away from knocking off No. 6-ranked Isaiah White.

“It’s pretty impressive when you have a redshirt freshman that can compete with one of the best in the country,” coach Kerry McCoy said. “It’s encouraging.”

[Read more: No. 7 Nebraska makes light work of Maryland wrestling, 38-6]

Spadafora was dominated by White in the first, falling behind by a score of 8-2. When just about everyone thought that another blowout was ensuing, Spadafora found a new level.

After White tried to take down Spadafora to start the second, Spadafora flipped the script and threw White to his back for a near fall. The Xfinity Center Pavilion came alive, and it seemed as if the Terp was about to do the impossible by pinning the Cornhusker. The Nebraska coaching staff, including 2013 NCAA champion Kendric Maple, couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

Unfortunately for the suddenly raucous home crowd, White has his ranking for a reason.

[Read more: Maryland wrestling hopes Game of Thrones night will up the energy against Nebraska]

The junior fought back and managed to avoid the pin, but not before Spadafora closed the gap to a single point entering the third period. After a back-and-forth third, Spadafora had one last chance to steal a victory.

White was anticipating the Spadafora shot attempt and countered it with a takedown of his own, securing the 14-10 win.

McCoy was proud of the Dix Hills, New York native, but he said Spadafora’s mindset entering the dual may have prevented him from completing the upset.

“I asked him, ‘Did you think going into the match that you could beat that guy?’ And he said no,” McCoy said. “Imagine if you would’ve believed that you could beat him. It might’ve been the difference.”

Spadafora entered the contest coming off of a roller-coaster weekend which saw him defeat Purdue’s Cole Wysocki for his very first Big Ten dual victory two days before getting manhandled by Indiana’s Bryce Martin.

“[White] is much better than [Martin, who] beat us pretty good,” McCoy said. “It just shows that if we believe and do the right things, then good things will happen.”

With a young, inexperienced team featuring several first-year starters such as Spadafora, McCoy has to hope that being thrown into the fires of the Big Ten will ultimately prove fruitful as they grow and mature.

And according to Bannister, performances like Spadafora’s against White can go a long way toward making sure that happens.

“Seeing a young guy like that competing against a top guy like that shows a lot of promise,” 149-pounder Alfred Bannister said. “Stuff like that spreads throughout the team.”