Final Results  |  Photo Gallery

OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University wrestling team dropped its Western Wrestling Conference opener, 29-3, to No. 18 Wyoming in front of 1,721 fans on Saturday night in the PE Building.
 
The ranked Cowboys (6-2, 2-0 WWC) won nine of the 10 bouts on the evening, including two by bonus points.
 
"Wyoming is a good team, and they showed that they are strong throughout their lineup tonight," said head coach Greg Williams. "I was disappointed with our effort. We had several weights where we didn't wrestle tough and it showed."
 
Junior 133-pounder Jade Rauser was the lone Wolverine (1-4, 0-1 WWC) to record a victory for Utah Valley in the dual as he picked up a 6-4 decision over Wyoming's Drew Templeman in the final match of the evening. With Rauser trailing Templeman by a point entering the second period, the two-time NCAA qualifier for the Wolverines got going with an escape and a takedown to take a 4-2 advantage. Templeman later tied the match at 4-all in the third period following a pair of escapes, but Rauser sealed the victory with a clutch takedown in the final seconds to avoid the shutout.
 
With the win, Rauser improved to a team-best 15-5 on the year.
 
The contest began at 141 pounds and Cole Mendenhall got the Pokes off to a solid start with a 9-4 victory over UVU freshman Matthew Ontiveros. Jake Elliott then followed with a 7-5 hard fought win over Wolverine sophomore Trevor Willson at 149 pounds and Archie Colgan kept the streak going with a 7-4 win over sophomore 157-pounder Logan Addis.
 
With a strong final period, Dakota Friesth then recorded UW's first bonus-point win of the contest with a 16-6 major decision over freshman Dalton Harmon at 165 pounds. No. 16 Andy McCulley (174 pounds) and No. 19 Benjamin Stroh (184) followed with two more wins for the Cowboys by respective scores of 5-2 and 8-4.
 
UVU junior Derek Thomas then gave No. 19 Shane Woods all he could handle at 197 pounds, but the ranked Woods managed to hold on to a slim 3-2 decision to pick up the win.
 
Senior Adam Fager, who had been sidelined with an injury since the opening tournament of the season, then made his return for the Wolverines at heavyweight, but Fager found himself on the wrong end of a one-point contest to Wyoming's Tanner Harms. Fager tied the match late in the final period with a two-point takedown, but the two-time NCAA qualifier for the Wolverines couldn't hold on to Harms, as the Cowboy grappler managed to escape his hold for the decisive point of the match (4-3).
 
Despite a strong start from UVU 125-pounder Chasen Tolbert in the second-to-last match of the contest, the junior couldn't upset No. 13 Tyler Cox, as Cox defeated him by major decision (14-4).
 
The Wolverines will now look to bounce back against Air Force at home next Friday (Jan. 23). Following the WWC dual against the Academy, UVU will remain home to welcome No. 21 Oregon State to town on Jan. 30 and Stanford a day later (Jan. 31).
 
No. 18 Wyoming 29, Utah Valley 3
141: Cole Mendenhall (UW) over Matthew Ontiveros (UVU), Dec. 9-4
149: Jake Elliott (UW) over Trevor Willson (UVU), Dec. 7-5
157: Archie Colgan (UW) over Logan Addis (UVU), Dec. 7-4
165: #NR/NR/20 Dakota Friesth (UW) over Dalton Harmon (UVU), MD 16-6
174: #16/17/17 Andy McCulley (UW) over Ethan Smith (UVU), Dec. 5-2
184: #19/NR/NR Benjamin Stroh over Ross Taylor (UVU), Dec. 8-4
197: #19/16/11 Shane Woods over Derek Thomas (UVU), Dec. 3-2
285: Tanner Harms (UW) over #NR/20/9 Adam Fager  (UVU), Dec. 4-3
125: #13/11/14 Tyler Cox (UW) over #NR/16/NR Chasen Tolbert (UVU), MD 14-4
133: Jade Rauser (UVU) over Drew Templeman (UW), Dec. 6-4
 
(Individual rankings listed InterMat/Flo/WIN)
Attendance: 1721