GUNNISON, Colo.  Mountaineer wrestling spotted visiting Colorado Mesa University 17 points to start Tuesday's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference match, then battled back to take the lead over the next five weight classes only to have the Mavericks rally back to steal a 26-21 victory.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Colorado Mesa def. Western, 26-21
Records: Western 10-6 overall (5-3 RMAC), CMU 7-3 (5-3)
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The rough start for the Mountaineers began with a CMU pin in the 125-pount match, another six-point tally from a forfeit at 133, and then a third-period technical fall at 141.
• Western finally put points up on the scoreboard with Dean Noble's 14-3 major decision at 149.
• Noble needed to not only earn the Mountaineers some points, but a bonus-point win would add to any momentum he could offer. And that's exactly what Western got from him as he played catch-and-release in the third period, registering three takedowns then allowing an escape each time before closing the period with one more takedown and earning the riding time point for the major.
• Ryan Wilson ramped up the momentum at 157, turning his second takedown of the opening period into a first-period pin at the 2:45 mark, cutting CMU's advantage to 17-10.
• Walker Heckendorf held on for an 8-5 decision at 165 to make the score 17-13, setting up the Two Coles in the next two bouts.
• Third-ranked Cole Hernandez did his part at 174, getting one final takedown in the final seconds of the match to go along with the riding time point to register a 20-5 tech fall and run his win streak to 16 matches.
• The other Cole – Cole Gray – was up against seventh-ranked Jason Bynarowicz from CMU and trailed the Maverick 4-2 heading into the final period. Bynarowicz started the period in the down position and earned an early escape. But Gray finally earned a takedown that put Bynarowicz on his back for an extra four point near fall that lifted Gray to a 9-7 decision and pushed Western in front for the first time all night, 21-17.
• Mesa, though, picked up a decision at 197 to trim its deficit, then won the match with a 21-second pin at 285.

UP NEXT

• Western Colorado redshirts and reserves will participate in Sunday's Colorado School of Mines Open in Golden, Colo.
• The NCAA Division II Region VI Championship tournament is on March 2 in Pueblo, Colo. The top three finishers in each weight class earn advancement to the national championship tournament in Park City, Kansas, on March 15 and 16.