Men's Wrestling | 1/17/2015 3:58:00 PM
Fort Hays State Dual Results |
Northern State Dual Results |
Nebraska - Kearney Dual Results
This meet recap is presented by MAA Corporate Partners 5 B's BBQ
KEARNEY, Neb. - The 11th ranked Western State Colorado University wrestling program won all three duals on Saturday at the Midwest Duals in Kearney Nebraska. The Mountaineers' dominate performance was comprised of two victories against ranked opponents, including a come from behind, 25-24 win over host and third ranked University of Nebraska - Kearney.
The win over last year's national runners-up, Nebraska - Kearney, is the biggest win for the Mountaineers this season. It was an especially dramatic win as Western began the dual down 18-3 after the first 5-of-10 matches. The only Mountaineer to earn victory in the first five matches was
Corbin Bennetts (Jr., Buena Vista, Colorado) at 141 pounds. Bennetts earned a 7-3 decision, giving the Mountaineers their first points of the dual.
Down 18-3 with only five duals remaining, Western needed to score big points in order to procure a comeback victory.
Austin Harris (Jr., Windsor, Colorado) got the ball rolling at 165 pounds, earning a fall 5:50 into his match. This brought the dual score to 18-9 with four duals left.
UNK would get those six points back at 174 pounds, earning their own fall. Down 24-9 with only three duals remaining, it would take nothing short of a miracle for the Mountaineers to complete the comeback. Lukily for Western,
Kyle Piatt (Sr., Olathe, Colorado),
Sam Mangum (Sr., McAllen, Texas) and
Peter Anguiano (Sr., Elk Grove, California) were up to the task.
Piatt, ranked fifth at 184 pounds, made quick work of UNK's Casey Powell, earning a fall after just 36 seconds. Despite bringing the score to 24-15, only two matches remained and UNK still sat comfortably in the lead.
Western's 197-pound wrestler Mangum came out and physically out-worked his opponent and took a 9-1 major decision. These four points put the Mountaineers in striking distance down 24-19. However, it would take a pin in the final match for Western to complete the comeback. Western's Anguiano did just that. The transfer from Grand Canyon University took just 1:48 before a fall in the 285-pound match to give the Mountaineers a one-point victory 25-24.
Prior to the UNK dual, Western defeated 15th ranked Fort Hays State University 25-12 in their first dual of the day. Earning decisions in the win were wrestlers
Trenton Piatt (Fr., Olathe, Colorado) at 125 pounds, and
Kyle Piatt at 184 pounds. Two Mountaineers earned major decisions,
Ian Steen (So., Graham, Washington) at 149 pounds and Harris at 165 pounds. Mangum earned a technical fall at 197 pounds and
Zane Rich (RFr., Syracuse, Utah) earned Western's first fall of the day, 2:20 into his 133-pound match.
In Western's second dual of the day, the Mountaineers dismantled Northern State University 46-3. The Mountaineers won two matches by decision, three by way of forfeit, one by major decision, and three by fall. Earning decisions for the Mountaineers were wrestlers Mangum at 197 pounds and Anguiano at 285 pounds. Earning a major decision was Bennetts at 141 pounds and earning falls were wrestlers
Devon Zavala (RFr., Denver, Colorado) at 149 pounds, Harris at 165 pounds and Piatt at 184 pounds.
The Mountaineers will continue the season next Thursday against rival and Adams State University at 7 p.m. in Alamosa, Colorado.
