GUNNISON, Colo.  The 22nd-ranked Mountaineers earned a 21-20 non-conference victory Thursday night over visiting and 18th-ranked University of Nebraska Kearney, breaking a 20-20 tie on the third tiebreak criteria, most non-pin match points (61-59).

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. Neb.-Kearney, 21-20
Records: Western 1-1, Neb.-Kearney 0-1
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Midway through the match with Western trailing 11-5, it rang up 15 unanswered points over four weights to seemingly seize control of the match with just two bouts remaining on the schedule.
• The initial points in the string came from Ryan Wilson's 8-6 decision at 157 pounds, his winning points coming on a late takedown in the third period.
• Next was Walker Heckendorf's dominating victory at 165 pounds. He registered a takedown and a pair of 4-point near falls in the opening period, scored a reversal for two more points in the early moments of the second before finishing off the Lopers' Cameron Graham on a pin at the 4-minute, 25 seconds mark of the match.
• Cole Hernandez stepped onto the mat next and earned a 12-6 decision at 174 to push Western's lead to 17-11 in the match.
• At 184, Cole Gray and UNK's Jacob Awiszus traded the upper hand in the first two periods, but Gray registered an early takedown in the third, later added another takedown and then picked up the riding time point for an 11-9 decision that pushed the Mountaineer advantage to 20-11.
• Kearney, though, erased its nine-point deficit in the final two matches, getting an 11-8 decision from Tre Daro at 197 and a first-period fall from Jake Boley at 285 to pull even on the scoreboard.
• The initial tie breaking criteria, individual match wins, was…tied…at five each. Next on the list was pins, with each team again equaling the other with one apiece.
• The tie was finally broken using the next criteria, most non-pin points.

MAT NOTES

• Kearney won the opening bout at 125, but Patrick Allis brought Western right back into the match with a 17-1 technical fall at the closing buzzer of the second period.
• Another buzzer beater in the match came at 149 where UNK's Brody Arrants earned a takedown at the last moment of the third period – one that was challenged and went to review, but upheld – for a 4-2 decision over Dean Noble.

NEXT UP
Western will participate in in the Neb.-Kearney Younes Holiday Open on Saturday, November 18, hosted at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.