KEARNEY, Neb.  Western Colorado wrestling – tied for No. 23 in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) NCAA Division II poll – closed out Saturday's UNK Midwest Duals with a resounding, 33-15, victory over 17th-ranked Fort Hays State (Kan.) University.

Earlier in the morning the Mountaineers suffered a 35-10 loss to No. 1 University of Central Oklahoma followed by a 27-16 defeat by No. 3 and Midwest Duals host University of Nebraska Kearney.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Western vs. Central Oklahoma

• It was still anyone's match after Hunter Mullin's 18-4 major decision at 165 brought the Mountaineers to within four points, 14-10, following the first six bouts of the match.
• Alex Alvarez earned a hard-fought 2-0 decision for Western at 133 that tied the team score after Patrick Allis had surrendered a 3-1 decision in the first sudden-victory period.
• UCO took the lead with a pin at 141 but Jason Hanenberg, ranked fourth in the NWCA individual rankings at 149, cut into the deficit with a 5-1 decision.
• A technical fall for UCO at 157 again elevated the Bronchos' advantage, only to have Mullin respond with his major at 165.
• UCO, though, earned a major, a tech fall, a fall and in injury victory in the remaining four weight classes to finally pull away.

Western vs. Nebraska-Kearney

• The lighter weight classes provided Western with a boost against the Lopers, as Western led 16-9 after six bouts.
• Allis and Alvarez got the Mountaineers off on the right foot, picking an Allis first-period pin and a second straight 2-0 decision from Alvarez to jump in front 9-0.
• Kearney got a fall at 141 to eat into the Western lead, but Hanenberg answered with a 6-2 decision at 149 to improve the gap, to 12-6 in favor of the Mountaineers.
• A Lopers decision at 157 pulled the third-ranked hosts to within three points, but Mullin notched his second major of the day, winning 9-1 to bump the lead to 16-9.
• The back end of the lineup for Kearney rallied, though, scoring three tech falls and a decision to notch the come-from-behind victory.

Western vs. Fort Hays State

• Once again, the lighter weights led the charge for Western as it piled up a 33-0 lead through seven weights.
• Allis won by forfeit at 125, followed by a first period fall by Alvarez for a 12-0 lead.
• Dean Noble at 141, Hanenberg at 149 and Tannen Kennedy at 157 added decisions to make the score 21-0. Noble's 8-6 win came in the first sudden-victory period, and Hanenberg scored a 4-2 decision in his bout. Kennedy kept the string rolling with a 4-2 win.
• Mullin and Cole Hernandez piled on the point total at 165 and 174, respectively. Mullin wasn't satisfied with his two majors on the day so concluded his day with a third-period fall, and Hernandez picked up his first win at the Duals with a second-period pin.
• The Tigers fought back with two falls and a decision in the final three weights, but the fast start provided the Mountaineers with enough cushion to withstand that late charge.

MIDWEST NOTES

• Alvarez, Hanenberg and Mullin each finished unbeaten at the Duals. Alvarez registered a pair of narrow 2-0 decision before finishing his day with the first-period pin against Fort Hays State; Hanenberg scored three decisions on the day; while Mullin notched a pair of majors and finally a second period fall in the Fort Hays State match.
• Allis came close to winning three times, surrendering just that sudden-victory loss in his opening match before adding a fall and a forfeiture.

LOOKING AHEAD
Western will entertain eighth-ranked Adams State on Friday, January 27 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference match at 6 p.m. in Paul Wright Gymnasium.