OREM, Utah – One week removed from an emergency appendectomy, Mitch Morgan opened Utah Valley State's inaugural wrestling season with an impressive first-round pin over Jaime Garcia of North Idaho College at 149 pounds. 

Morgan's pin got the night started well for UVSC as the Wolverines earned their first dual win, 23-18, over the Cardinals in front of a near-capacity crowd of 2000 fans. 

"I was happy I got pulled out to wrestle first," said Morgan following the match. Morgan was referring to the drawing that occurs prior to each dual to determine which weight class will wrestle first. 

Morgan led a UVSC domination in the lower weight classifications. In addition to Morgan pinning Garcia in the opening match of the night, Wayne Watts and Tanner Cowan both won by major decision in the 157 and 165 classes to put UVSC ahead 14-0. 

UVSC then dropped the next four weight classes and trailed 15-14 on the overall score. Benjamin Wiscombe lost 9-0 to Kyle Frawley, Ivan Bigney lost 15-6 to Blair Alderman, Darren Cooper lost 9-2 to John Plato, and Billy Green lost in sudden death to Israel Silva. 

Despite the loss, Green was impressive in his collegiate debut. 

"I was impressed with Billy [Green] tonight," said UVSC coach Cody Sanderson. "Silva is a very good heavyweight and Billy could just have easily won that one. Billy did a couple of things that we just went over last week." 

Sanderson was also impressed with 125-pound wrestler Ryan Argyle's maturity in his major decision win, 15-7, over Tyson Hints. 

Argyle allowed Hints to escape with seconds remaining in the match, then scored a takedown moments before time expired to gain the major decision win. Sanderson said a lot of experienced wrestlers don't think to do what Argyle did. Yet the Provo native is just a freshman. Argyle's win put UVSC back in front 18-15. 

Erkin Tadzhimetov followed Argyle with a technical fall, 16-1, over Damen Rowe to put the Wolverines ahead 23-15 and clinch UVSC's first ever dual win. 

Jess Mortensen lost 8-4 at 141 pounds for UVSC's only loss below 174 pounds. 

UVSC takes a short rest before competing Saturday in the Cowboy Open in Laramie, Wyoming. 

FINAL RESULTS
Utah Valley State defeated North Idaho College 23-18 
149-Mitchell Morgan (UV) pinned Jaime Garcia (NIC), 2:48 
157-Wayne Watts (UV) dec. Tyson Hurst (NIC), 21-11 
165-Tanner Cowan (UV) dec. Nico Van Wygarrdt (NIC), 13-4 
174-Kyle Frawley (NIC) dec. Benjamin Wiscombe (UV), 11-0 
184-Blair Alderman (NIC) dec. Ivan Bigney (UV), 16-6 
197-John Plato (NIC) dec. Darren Cooper (UV), 10-2 
Hwt-Israel Silva (NIC) dec. Billy Green (UV), 3-1 OT 
125-Ryan Argyle (UV) dec. Tyson Hints (NIC), 15-7 
133-Erkin Tadzhimetov (UV) tech. Fall Damen Rowe (NIC), 6:20 
141-Derek Kipperberg (NIC) dec. Jesse Mortensen (UV), 9-4