GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado broke out to the early lead after wins by Devin Gomez and Zachary Bates but would only capture one more weight in a 27-12 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference loss to visiting and 21st-ranked Colorado School of Mines.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Mines def. Western, 27-12
Records: Western 6-3 overall (0-1 RMAC), Mines 7-2 (2-1)
Location: Paul Wright Gym, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Gomez got Western off on the right foot in the 125-pound match, rallying from a 5-0 first period deficit to eventually carry the match into overtime where his takedown gave him a 16-13 sudden victory, and provided Western with its first points of the night, a 3-0 lead.
• Zachary Bates stepped onto the mat next at 133 and entered the second period trailing 4-3, but an early escape, a takedown and nearfall resulted in Mines' Hunter Samora surrendering the match on a medical forfeit, lifting the Mountaineers to a 9-0 lead after the opening two weights.
• Mines came back hard, though, winning by fall at 141 and with a tech fall at 149 to take the lead, 11-9, heading into the 157 bout.
• 11th-ranked Vincent Cabral answered the bell, however, as he scored an 8-4 decision to wrest back the lead on the team scoreboard, 12-11.
• Mines responded with a major at 165 and consecutive decision in the final four weights to polish off its road victory over the Mountaineers.

UP NEXT
Western will head East next weekend, starting with an exhibition match at Northeastern Junior College on Jan. 22, followed by a stop in Kearney, Neb., where it will square off with host and second-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, as well as in a neutral-site match against Ouachita Baptist University.