BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Feb. 3, 2019) - The Wyoming wrestling team split duals on Sunday in California, dropping its first loss of the New Year in a tough battle against Fresno State, followed by a convincing win over CSU Bakersfield.
 
The Cowboys (13-4, 4-2 Big 12) will be back in action Friday at 7 p.m. on the road at Big 12 rival Utah Valley, before returning home on Sunday at 2 p.m. for a Senior Day matchup against South Dakota State.
 
Cowboys' Streak Snapped Against Fresno State
 
The Cowboys' eight-match winning streak was snapped in a grinder of a dual against the Bulldogs, as Fresno State defeated the Cowboys in a 21-12 battle.
 
Matched up against No. 19 AJ Nevills, Cowboy heavyweight Brian Andrews struck first with a takedown in the opening seconds of the match followed by a ride eclipsing over a minute and a half to take a 2-1 lead into the second period. Nevills answered back in the second with a counter off and Andrews attack to take a 4-2 advantage after two frames. Andrews elected to start the final period in the neutral position, needing a takedown to tie the match. Getting in on a couple of single-leg attacks, he was unable to finish as the time ran out. Nevills would take the 4-2 decision and put the Bulldogs up, 3-0, to start.
 
The Cowboys tied the score up at three apiece as Cole Verner held off Robert Garcia in a 5-4 decision. After the two wrestlers traded takedowns in the first, Verner carried a 3-2 lead into the second. Verner earned a quick escape from the down starting position to open the third following a scoreless second to push his lead to 4-2, but gave  up a tying takedown with about 30 seconds to go. Needing an escape to secure his win, Verner was able to get out with 15 seconds to go and fight off a few Garcia attacks to lock up the win.
 
Redshirt sophomore Montorie Bridges gave the Cowboys their first lead of the day at 133 pounds, holding off Fresno State's Gary Joint, 6-2. Trailing, 2-1, heading to the third period after Joint was able to score a two-point nearfall in the second, Bridges put together a strong ride over the final two minutes, scoring a four-point nearfall of his own during his full-period ride out to wrap up the bout.
 
The Cowboys stretched their lead to 9-3 with a 5-2 Sam Turner decision over Chris Deloza at 141 pounds. Turner was able to convert on two takedowns in the bout while holding Deloza without an offensive score.
 
Fresno State picked up its second win of the day at 149 pounds as No. 16 Khristian Olivas edged Cowboy Jaron Jensen in a wild bout. Jensen was able to reverse Olivas a couple of times, but Olivas pulled away with a reversal of his own in the final period to grab the 9-6 win.
 
Fresno State regained the lead at 157 pounds as Jacob Wright pinned Cowboy Jed Loveless midway through the third period.
 
Senior Branson Ashworth tied the score back up at 12 with an 8-3 decision over Isaiah Hokit at 165 to tie the team score back up at 12 apiece. With the win, Ashworth picked up his 12th-straight win and moved to 16-0 in dual matches.
 
The Bulldogs would go on to win three-straight bouts at 174, 184 and 197 to secure the dual victory over the Cowboys.
 
Fresno State 21, No. 8/11 Wyoming 12
Feb. 3, 2019 | SaveMart Center | Fresno, Calif.
285: No. 20 AJ Nevills (FS) dec. Brian Andrews (WYO) 4-2
125: No. 16 Cole Verner (WYO) dec. Robert Garcia IV (FS) 5-4
133: No. 10 Montorie Bridges (WYO) dec. Gary Joint (FS) 6-2
141: No. 13 Sam Turner (WYO) dec. Sam Turner (FS) 5-2
149: No. 16 Khristian Olivas (FS) dec. Jaron Jensen (WYO) 9-6
157: Jacob Wright (FS) fall Jed Loveless (WYO) 6:32
165: No. 8 Branson Ashworth (WYO) dec. Isaiah Hokit (FS) 8-3
174: Dominic Kincaid (FS) dec. Anthony Lamardo (WYO) 5-3
184: Jackson Hemauer (FS) dec. No. 19 Tate Samuelson (WYO) 5-1
197: No. 13 Josh Hokit (FS) dec. No. 20 Cale Davidson (WYO) 4-2
 
Cowboys Roll Roadrunners, 25-6
 
The Cowboys bounced back from a tough loss earlier in the day on Sunday night, handling CSU Bakersfield, 25-6. Wyoming won eight of 10 bouts on the way to its 13^th win of the season.
 
Again starting at heavyweight, Brian Andrews got things rolling early for the Pokes with a 10-2 major decision over Jarrod Snyder. Andrews recorded takedowns in the first and second periods, along with a four-point nearfall in the opening frame to lock up the major. Now 26-8 on the year, the Cowboy sophomore has turned in three major decisions on the year and nine bonus point wins total.
 
Cole Verner snagged his second win of the day in an 8-3 decision over Edward Flores and boost the Wyoming lead to 7-0. Verner led throughout the match, scoring a takedown in each of the three periods while denying Flores any offensive points to take the win. With his two wins on Sunday, Verner eclipsed the 20-win mark on the year.
 
Redshirt sophomore Montorie Bridges came out of a wild bout against No. 17 Sean Nickell with a 10-9 decision. The two traded takedowns in the first period, with Nickell scoring two of his own for a 5-3 lead heading into the second. Bridges outscored Nickell in the second, 4-1, with a takedown and nearfall to seize a 7-6 lead after two. Both wrestlers were able to score an escape and takedown in the final frame, with Bridges getting the final score of the bout by way of a takedown in the final seconds. The Cowboy, who also won both of his matches on Sunday, pushed his win streak to eight with the victory.
 
Cowboy Sam Turner fought off a late push from Roadrunner Carlos Herrera in the 141-pound match. Turner pushed his lead to 8-0 midway through the second period, but a reversal to end the frame and a seven-point offensive flurry by Herrera in the third kept the match too close for comfort. Nonetheless, Turner would come out with the 10-9 decision to give Wyoming a 13-0 lead.
 
The Roadrunners wouldn't go away quietly, as they picked up decisions at 149 and 157 pounds to cut the Cowboy advantage to seven at 13-6.
 
From that point it was all Cowboys, as the Pokes rattled off four-straight wins to wrap up the dual.
 
Senior Branson Ashworth added another win to his day with an 8-2 decision over Jacob Thalin at 165 pounds. Ashworth scored a couple of takedowns and a nearfall in the win to push his overall record this season to 27-3. He also moved into 10^th place on the school's all-time wins list with 115 for his career.
 
At 174, Hayden Hastings saw his first action of the day in an 8-5 win over Bryan Battisto. Hastings scored a couple of takedowns and a reversal in the win. The victory marked his 20^th of the season thus far, making the redshirt freshman the seventh Cowboy starter to crack the 20-win mark this year.
 
Freshman Tate Samuelson got back on track after giving up the first dual loss of his career in the Cowboys' battle with Fresno State earlier in the day. Samuelson was impressive against Dom Ducharme, shutting out the Roadrunner in a 4-0 win—his 19^th of the season.
 
Bumping up to 197 pounds after wrestling at 174 earlier in the day, Anthony Lombardo picked up a win over Mark Penyacsek in a 7-2 bout. Lombardo snagged a takedown in the first, followed by reversals in the second and third to pick up the win that moved him to 10-4 overall this year and 3-1 in duals.
 
No. 8/11 Wyoming 25, CSU Bakersfield 6
Feb. 3, 2019 | Icardo Center | Bakersfield, Calif.
285: Brian Andrews (WYO) MD Jarrod Snyder (CSUB) 10-2
125: No. 16 Cole Verner (WYO) dec. Edward Flores (CSUB) 8-3
133: No. 10 Montorie Bridges (WYO) dec. No. 17 Sean Nickell (CSUB) 10-9
141: No. 13 Sam Turner (WYO) dec. Carlos Herrera (CSUB) 10-9
149: Russell Rohlfing (CSUB) dec. Jaron Jensen (WYO) 11-3
157: Wyatt Gerl (CSUB) dec. Jed Loveless (WYO) 4-2
165: No. 8 Branson Ashworth (WYO) dec. Jacob Thalin (CSUB) 8-2
174: Hayden Hastings (WYO) dec. Bryan Battisto (CSUB) 8-5
184: No. 19 Tate Samuelson (WYO) dec. Dom Ducharme (CSUB) 4-0
197: Anthony Lombardo (WYO) dec. Mark Penyacsek (CSUB) 7-2