GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado won three of its four matches Saturday at the 35th Annual Tracy Borah Duals, winning its opening two matches in the Mountaineer Field House, and taking the final dual on tiebreak criteria.

Devin Gomez and 11th-ranked Vincent Cabral would have tremendous days for the Mountaineers, with both going unbeaten across the four duals.

Western def. Minot State, 27-17

• The Mountaineers got off to a quick start to the Duals and against the Beavers, getting a 20-5 tech fall win by Gomez at 125 pounds and a second period pin by Zachary Bates at 133.
• Minot State halved its deficit with a tech fall win at 141, but Western answered back emphatically as Eyan Chavez registered a fall at the 1:48 mark of the 149 bout, Cabral scored a 12-1 major at 157 and Jacob Blandford added a 7-4 decision at 165.
• The Beavers scored wins at 174, 197 and 285, with Hunter Richardson's 7-3 decision at 184 interrupting MSU's late charge that was too little, too late in the opening dual for the Mountaineers.

Western def. Cal Poly Humboldt, 27-21

• As opposed to the early lead built against Minot State, it was the Lumberjacks who pushed in front, 15-3 after the first four weights, Gomez' 11-4 decision at 125 Western's only points in that opening stretch.
• By the time the 184 match was on the mat, CPH was leading 21-10. And that's where the tables turned as Richardson earned a third period pin to begin the comeback, extended by Sage Harrison's 18-1 tech fall at 197, tying the dual at 21-21.
• The dual came down to Riley Butt at 285 and like at Western's upset victory at No. 18 Colorado Mesa before the holiday break, Butt answered the bell with a dual-clinching pin, this time coming halfway through the third period to complete the late rally in Western's second victory of the day.

Vanguard def. Western, 23-17

• Gomez put Western in front at 125 with an 18-2 tech fall, but the Lions roared out to a 14-5 advantage with wins at the next three weights.
• Cabral closed the gap with a 17-0 tech fall at 157, and Blandford scored a 12-2 major to tie the dual at 14-14.
• Harrison was the only victor for Western in the final four weights, though, an 8-3 decision at 197, as Vanguard would earn a narrow 23-17 win.

Western def. Menlo, 26-25 (on tiebreaker)

• Attrition from the long morning's previous three duals contributed to both Menlo and Western to each forfeit two of the first four weight classes, sending the dual into 157's tied at 12-12.
• Cabral scored an 8-1 decision to lift Western in front, but the Oaks got tech falls at 165 and 174 to take the lead, 22-15.
• Richardson's 14-0 major at 184 brought Western close, though Menlo took the match at 197 to forge a 25-19 advantage with only Josiah Aldinger going to the mat for Western at 285.
• Aldinger dominated and posted a fall in just 64 seconds to pull Western all the way back into a tie at 25-25, and the tiebreak criteria gave Western the tiebreaking point on total number of falls (1 vs. 0), Aldinger's pin creating the winning point.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will host Colorado School of Mines in Paul Wright Gym for a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference dual on Saturday, January 17.