BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Despite winning five matches, including two by bonus points, a forfeit was the difference for Utah Valley University wrestling on Saturday night as it fell to CSU Bakersfield at the Icardo Center by a score of 27-19.  
 
Seniors Jade Rauser and Ross Taylor both recorded bonus-point victories for UVU (3-5, 0-0 Big 12) in the contest while 18th-ranked senior Chasen Tolbert and redshirt freshmen Raider Lofthouse and Will Sumner all won their respective bouts by decision. 
 
"We wrestled with more energy tonight. The guys responded well after an embarrassing loss last night," said head coach Greg Williams. "I was especially pleased with how Raider, Ross and Will improved on their movement and attacks from last night. Jade came out both nights and really showed why he is a leader on this team."
 
With the contest beginning at 174 pounds, Taylor (174) and Sumner (184) got the Wolverines off to a nice start with back-to-back wins to give UVU an early 7-0 lead. Taylor managed to overcome a 5-4 deficit in the opening bout of the night with a solid third period that included a pair of four-point nearfalls and a riding time point to earn a 13-5 major decision over CSUB's Adam Fierro. Sumner then followed that up with a 5-2 decision of his own over Dylan Bollinger to give Utah Valley the early seven-point advantage.
 
The Roadrunners (7-2, 2-0 Pac-12) quickly struck back, however, with consecutive pins to take a 12-7 lead but senior duo of Tolbert (125) and Rauser (133) answered for the Wolverines with respective wins by decision and fall to give UVU a 16-12 advantage of its own. The 18th-ranked Tolbert started the spurt for the Wolverines with an 11-6 decision over Sergio Mendez and the three-time NCAA qualifier Rauser followed it up with a first-period fall over Carlos Herrera to regain the lead for UVU.
 
Ian Nickell and Coleman Hammond then helped the 'Runners pull back in front, at 21-16, with respective wins by major decision and technical fall, but Lofthouse followed with a 9-5 decision over AJ Fierro at 157 pounds to help bring the Wolverines back to within striking distance with just one match to go. But an injury depleted lineup proved to be the difference, as Utah Valley was forced to take a forfeit in the final weight class of the dual (165) as Bakersfield's Bryan Battisto was awarded the final six points of the night via forfeit to seal the contest for the 'Runners.
 
With the loss, UVU finishes its weekend trip with a pair of setbacks to Pac-12 foes as it also fell to Stanford in Palo Alto on Friday evening by a score of 37-5.
 
The Wolverines will now return home to face their third consecutive Pac-12 opponent when Arizona State comes to town on Thursday, Jan. 21. The Big 12 vs. Pac-12 showdown will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the PE Building and will be televised locally on UVU TV.
 
CSU Bakersfield 27, Utah Valley 19
174: Ross Taylor (UVU) over Adam Fierro (CSUB), MD 13-5
184: Will Sumner (UVU) over Dylan Bollinger (CSUB), Dec. 5-2
197: #9 Reuben Franklin (CSUB) over Aryton Almberg (UVU), Fall 2:44
285: Matt Williams (CSUB) over Jordan Karst (UVU), Fall 6:19
125: #18 Chasen Tolbert (UVU) over Sergio Mendez (CSUB), Dec. 11-6
133: Jade Rauser (UVU) over Carlos Herrera (CSUB), Fall 1:44
141: Ian Nickell (CSUB) over Jarod Maynes (UVU), MD 9-1
149: Coleman Hammond (CSUB) over Matthew Ontiveros (UVU), TF 17-1 (4:21)
157: Raider Lofthouse (UVU) over AJ Fierro (CSUB), Dec. 9-5
165: Bryan Battisto (CSUB) won by forfeit