Dual Comes Down to Last Match But No. 5 Lopers Defeat Tigers 23-15

FHSU Sports Information Department

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State battled fifth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney in an MIAA dual Thursday (Jan. 21) at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan. The dual came down to the last match with FHSU down five, but UNK held on for a 23-15 win.

The Lopers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead winning the first two matches. UNK’s Connor Bolling, the No. 6 wrestler at 125 pounds, defeated Adam Ludwin by decision 6-5 in a hard-fought battle. The No. 1 wrestler at 133 pounds, Daniel DeShazer, extended the Loper lead by defeating Anthony Calderon by a 10-5 decision.

A forfeit at 141 pounds by UNK knotted the score at 6-6. Bradley Little gave the Tigers their first lead of the night, 12-6, with a big pin of Brett Labudda at the 4:15 mark in the 149 pound bout.

The Lopers came back to win the next three matches to take the lead once again. UNK’s 157 pound wrestler Chase White defeated Joey Dozier in a 5-3 decision, cutting the Tiger lead to 12-9. UNK then took the lead for the second time as Devin Aguirre picked up four points with a 16-6 major decision victory in the 165 pound bout over Matt Ziegler. At 174 pounds Calvin Ochs of UNK defeated Dylan Wiesner with a 4-0 decision.

With the Tigers trailing 16-12, No. 6 ranked 184-pound wrestler Jon Inman brought the Tigers within one by defeating Zach Stodden with a 9-4 decision.

UNK pushed its lead to five as the No.1 ranked wrestler at 197 pounds, Romero Cotton, defeated Cash Drylie with the 13-4 major decision.

With one match to go the Tigers trailed 20-15 and freshman AJ Cooper needed a pin to complete the comeback. Despite a great opportunity in the first period, and another in the the third, Luke Petersen was too much and came away with the 11-4 decision to clinch the dual for the Lopers by the score of 23-15.

The Tigers moved to 5-3 overall, 0-2 in the MIAA, while the Lopers remain in first place in the MIAA with a record of 11-2 overall and 2-0 in the conference. The Tigers head to Wichita, Kan., on Sunday (Jan. 24) for the Kansas Cup at Newman University.