USAFA, Colo. – Tied after six matches, No. 25 Utah Valley University dropped the final four bouts of the night to fall 26-10 at Air Force on Saturday night in a Big 12 wrestling dual.
The Wolverines got wins from #29/17
Kimball Bastian (197 pounds), #33/18
Tanner Orndorff (197 pounds), and #27/28
Dustin Dennison (285 pounds). For the second straight night, UVU was without its two highest-ranked wrestlers in #6/1
Taylor LaMont and #16/6
Demetrius Romero.
After Tyler Widerholt picked up a major decision at 165 pounds for the Falcons, Bastian evened the dual at 4-4 with a 10-1 win over Michael Billingsly. After a scoreless first, Bastian trailed 1-0 after an escape in the second before a takedown and four-point near fall gave the Wolverine sophomore a 6-1 advantage after two periods en route the win.
At 184 pounds,
Will Sumner dropped a narrow decision, 3-2, to Zen Ikehara before Orndorff and Dennison secured consecutive wins to put Utah Valley in front, 10-7. Orndorff defeated Anthony McLaughlin by decision, 8-4, and Dennison edged Matt Wagner, 3-1.
Air Force secured wins in the final five matches of the night to earn the team victory.
Utah Valley returns home for the final dual of the season next Friday night at Lockhart Arena against Northern Colorado for Senior Night. The Big 12 match against the Bears precedes the Big 12 Tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma March 3-4.
Final Results
Air Force 26, #25 Utah Valley 10
165: Tyler Wiederholt (AFA) over
Max Sultan (UVU) by Major Decision, 11-2 (0-4)
174: #29/17
Kimball Bastian (UVU) over Michael Billingsley (AFA) by Major Decision, 10-1 (4-4)
184: Zen Ikehara (AFA) over
Will Sumner (UVU) by Decision, 3-2 (4-7)
197: #33/18
Tanner Orndorff (UVU) over #31/NR Anthony McLaughlin (AFA) by Decision, 8-4 (7-7)
285: #27/28
Dustin Dennison (UVU) over Matt Wagner (AFA) by Decision, 3-1 (10-7)
125: #32/27 Tony DeCesare (AFA) over
Josh Jensen (UVU) by Decision, 5-1 (10-10)
133: Isaac Jimenez (AFA) over
Durbin Lloren (UVU) by Major Dec., 12-2 (10-14)
141: Alec Opsal (AFA) over
Matt Findlay (UVU) by Fall, 4:37 (10-20)
149: Dane Robbins (AFA) over
Matthew Ontiveros (UVU) by Decision, 7-1 (10-23)
157: Alex Mossing (AFA) over
Raider Lofthouse (UVU) by Decision, 2-8 (10-26)
Rankings (Coaches Panel/RPI)
