By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The No. 12 ranked Fort Hays State wrestling team dropped their first home MIAA dual to the No. 6 ranked Lindenwood Lions on Friday (Jan. 11), 29-16. The loss dips the Tigers to 1-4 overall in duals and 0-2 in conference action. The Lions moved to 7-2 overall and 2-0 in MIAA duals.
Broderick Green dropped the opening bout to third-ranked Carlos Jacquez, 19-3. Conrad Cole then battled Tanner Hitchcock in the 133-pound bout before falling in the first period. The Tigers trailed 11-0 after the first two matchups.
No. 2 ranked Brandon Ball earned the Tigers their first points of the match by pinning Tyler Wicken in the first period (2:57) and remaining unbeaten on the year (13-0). Ball picked up his third fall of the season in the process. Jonathan Ball took the mat for the Tigers in the 149-pound bout but was edged out by No. 4 ranked Gavin Londoff in a narrow 4-3 decision. FHSU trailed LWU 14-6, four bouts into the dual.
Redshirt-freshman Anthony Scantlin held his own against Nate Trepanier in the 157-pound clash, before falling 9-4 in a close decision. No. 4 ranked Efe Osaghae (157 pounds) wrestled up a weight class to face No. 7 ranked Kyle Jolas at 165 pounds. Osaghae lost in a tight 5-3 decision to dip to 15-3 on the year.
After the Tigers dropped three straight bouts, they bounced back when No. 9 ranked Marty Verhaeghe captured a pin in the second period over Kyle Summers (3:34) of the 174-pound weight class. The pin brought the Tigers within single digits, 20-12 with three matches left in the dual.
Micquille Robinson shutout Miles Nuessle at 184 pounds with a key 8-0 major decision to bring the Tigers closer in the dual, 20-16. At 197 pounds, Jordan Davis suffered a fall to Jared McKindley in 3:33 to put the Lions out of reach. A.J. Cooper dropped the final bout of the evening to No. 12 ranked Courvoisier Morrow in a close 7-3 decision.
The Tigers have a day off before getting back on the mats for the Kansas Cup, which is slated to begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday (Jan. 13) inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.