EDMOND – A key injury proved pivotal in Central Oklahoma's 23-18 setback to Augustana Sunday afternoon at Hamilton Field House. 
 
Cameron Johnson was locked in a fierce battle with fourth-ranked Coy Gunderson in the third period of their 174-pound match when an ankle injury forced Johnson to default with less than a minute remaining.  
 
The No. 19-ranked Bronchos were leading 15-6 at the time, but that six-point boost made it 15-12. UCO won just one of the last three matches, with a technical fall at 184 and pin at heavyweight giving the No. 16 Vikings the win. 
 
It was UCO's first home loss since Feb. 3, 2019, snapping a school-record 34-match winning streak. The Bronchos are 1-1 on the young season. 
 
"Augustana has a really good team and we knew it was going to be a tough match," head coach Todd Steidley said. "I thought we showed great effort and our shape was pretty good, but we kept making mistakes on the things we've been working on. 
 
"We have a young team with a lot of new guys. Going against good competition only helps make us better and we just have to keep working." 
 
The Bronchos won the first three matches and four of the first five in opening up a 15-3 lead. 
 
Devon Miller got the Bronchos going at 125 pounds, using a pair of takedowns to claim a 7-5 victory. Eli Kirk followed with an 11-5 triumph at 133 on the strength of an early takedown and four-point near-fall. 
 
Hunter Hollingsworth capped UCO's opening salvo with a dominating performance at 141, cruising to an 18-2 technical fall. The sophomore scored two takedowns and two near-falls in the first period to take a 14-2 lead, then escaped quickly to start the second before ending it at the 3:30 mark with another takedown. 
 
Augie got on the scoreboard with a win at 149, but Landyn Sommer answered that at 157, using a pair of near-falls and takedown in an easy 12-3 major decision. 
 
Augie won a tough decision at 165, then Johnson was unable to continue  after Gunderson scored a tie-breaking reverse with 51 seconds left in their match. Johnson suffered the injury late in the second period and battled on before being forced to retire. 
 
The Vikings earned a technical fall at 184 from sixth-ranked Charlie Petit to go ahead 17-15, with UCO moving back in front 18-17 on Garrett Wells' 4-0 shutout at 197. Wells prevailed on an escape, two penalty points and a riding time point. 
 
That set the stage for the heavyweight bout and Augie's 260-pound Max Balow used a big weight advantage to score a first period fall over 197-pounder Ryan Nichols to give Augie the win. 

The Bronchos will send a large group of individuals to Kearney, Nebraska Nov. 21 for the Younes Hospitality Open before going to Wichita, Kansas to open the MIAA schedule Dec. 3. 

Augustana 23, UCO 18 
125 – Devon Miller, UCO, dec. Cole Welte, 7-5. 
133 – Eli Kirk, UCO, dec. Creighton Lassen, 11-5. 
141 – Hunter Hollingsworth, UCO, tech. Fall Connor Whiteley, 18-2 (3:30). 
149 – Nolan Ambrose, Augie, dec. Cole Mayfield, 5-1. 
157 – Landyn Sommer, UCO, maj. Dec. Kaden Nicolas, 12-3. 
165 – Payton Handevidt, Augie, dec. Brady Benham, 8-5. 
174 – Coy Gunderson, Augie, by injury default over Cameron Johnson, 6:09. 
184 – Charlie Petit, Augie, tech. Fall Cooper Zickefoose, 18-1 (4:42). 
197 – Garrett Wells, UCO, dec. Owen Wasleu, 4-0. 
Hvy – Max Balow, Augie, pinned Ryan Nichols, 2:02. 
Extra Matches
149 - Landon Kujawa, Augie, dec. Trenton Bell, 9-2.
197 - Lane Knutson, Augie, dec. Jackson Blackburn, 5-2.