GOLDEN, Colo. – Ninth-ranked Western Colorado University wrestling battled valiantly against the Colorado School of Mines Thursday night in Golden. However, the banged-up Mountaineers were unable to come away with a win, falling 25-16 on the road.
 
Trenton Piatt got the party started for the Mountaineers, earning a first period takedown against Mines' Matt Lavengood. In the process of the takedown, Lavengood was injured and unable to continue. Piatt gave Western a 6-0 lead, winning by injury default in the first bout of the night.
 
At 133 pounds, Mines' Noah Au-Yeung, ranked seventh, came from behind to take a 7-4 decision and cut the Western lead by half. Heading into the third match of the night, the Mountaineers continued to lead 6-3.
 
Jason Hanenberg erased that decision, winning his 141-pound bout by 2-0 decision to put the Mountaineer back in the lead by six points, 9-3.
 
The Orediggers would win the next two matches, each by technical fall, to take a 13-9 lead.
 
Hunter Mullin put a stop to the bleeding for the Mountaineers, winning by 5-1 decision at 165 pounds. Mullin defeated Keenan Willits to put Western within one of the Orediggers, 12-13.
 
Filling in for an injured Brandon Supernaw at 174 pounds, Michael Seijo went up against Mines' Robert Gambrell. Seijo, normally a 157-pounder, was unable to match Gambrell and lost by fall in the first period.
 
The Orediggers took a 22-13 lead when Mines' Connor Ventura won by 12-6 decision at 184 pounds.
 
Konnor Schmidt kept the dual tie in reach for the Mountaineers, winning his 197-pound bout by major decision, 17-8.
 
Heading into the 285-pound match, Western needed a pin to tie the dual at 22 points.
 
Western's Sammy deSeriere did his best and came away with a late toss that nearly put Mines' Weston Hunt to his back. Hunt escaped and earned a 5-4 decision win to give the Orediggers a 25-16 dual victory.
 
The Mountaineers will return to the mat on Saturday, Dec. 15 for the 50^th annual Midwest Classic in Indianapolis, Indiana.