Bronchos Fall Short Against No. 5 UNK

1/14/2016 10:12:00 PM

Zac D'Amico

KEARNEY, Neb. (Jan. 14) – A spirited Central Oklahoma upset bid fell short here Thursday when No. 5-ranked Nebraska-Kearney rallied past the Bronchos 21-15.

UCO, which knocked off No. 10 Lindenwood 19-18 Tuesday night in Edmond, got a big win from 125-pounder Zac D'Amico in taking a 12-3 lead after the first four matches before the Lopers came back to win five of the last six weights in pulling out the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association victory.

UNK took its first lead at 18-15 on a fall by top-ranked Romero Cotton at 197 pounds and clinched it with Luke Petersen's 4-2 victory over Evan McGee at heavyweight.

"We had some chances and came up a little short, but I was pretty pleased with the way we battled tonight," head coach David James said. "We're making progress and are getting a little better every time out. We just have to continue working hard."

The Bronchos, now 5-3 on the season and 2-1 in the league, stay in town for matches against No. 12 California Baptist and San Francisco State in Saturday's Midwest Duals.

D'Amico had the biggest win for UCO with an overtime upset of sixth-ranked Connor Bolling in the opening match. The Bronchos also got decisions from 149 Spencer Rutherford and 184 Brock Warren, while 133 Blake Dauphin picked up a forfeit.

Joshua Ailey dropped a wild 15-12 decision at 141, 157 Jeromy Davenport fell in overtime and 165 Danny Carrillo lost 3-2 in addition to McGee's two-point defeat in the final match.

D'Amico pulled out a 3-2 win, riding out Bolling the entire third period to force overtime. Neither wrestler scored in the one-minute sudden-victory period, but D'Amico escaped in the first 30-second tiebreaker and then controlled Bolling in the second one to earn the upset.

Rutherford had three takedowns in a methodical 7-3 win at 149 and Warren used two second-period takedowns for a 5-2 victory at 184.

Ailey trailed 13-5 after the opening stanza before a frantic third-period rally fell just short and Davenport fell 3-1 in sudden-victory.

Nebraska-Kearney 21, UCO 15
125 – Zac D'Amico, UCO, dec. Connor Bolling, 3-2 (TB).
133 – Blake Dauphin, UCO, won by forfeit.
141 – Keith Surber, UNK, dec. Joshua Ailey, 15-12.
149 – Spencer Rutherford, UCO, dec. Nick Babcock, 7-3.
157 – Chase White, UNK, dec. Jeromy Davenport, 3-1 (SV).
165 – Devin Aguirre, UNK, dec. Danny Carrillo, 3-2.
174 – Calvin Ochs, UNK, dec. Mason Thompson, 12-5.
184 – Brock Warren, UCO, dec. Zach Stodden, 5-2.
197 – Romero Cotton, UNK, pinned Brody Largent, 1:08.
Hvy – Luke Petersen, UNK, dec. Evan McGee, 4-2.

Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories