GREELEY, Colo. - Utah Valley University's bid for its first dual win in Big 12 Conference wrestling came up a point short, 19-18, at Northern Colorado on Friday night. The match was the middle dual of a three-night, three-city trip for the Wolverines.

With UVU (3-9, 0-3 Big 12) nursing a 12-10 lead with three matches to go, senior Ross Taylor picked up six big points at 174, pinning Tyler Kinn (5:52) to push UVU's advantage to 18-10. The Bears got wins in the final two matches of the night though, ending with No. 20 Trent Noon winning by fall (:58) over Aryton Almberg at 197, to give NC the come-from-behind win.

Dustin Dennison, Jade Rauser, Jarod Maynes, and Trevor Willson also joined Taylor with victories, each by decision.

"The first half of the dual was very positive," said UVU head coach Greg Williams. "I thought all of our guys wrestled hard for a full seven minutes. Trevor stepped up against a very good opponent and gave us a chance to win the dual. That's the best he's wrestled all season."

Willson defeated Timmy Box in a 9-4 decision that capped three straight victories for Utah Valley. Northern Colorado captured three of the final four bouts though, with Taylor's win serving as UVU's only team points down the stretch.

"We didn't finish out the matches as well in the second half. Ross' pin put us in a position to win but we did not wrestle well in the next match."

Dennison began the night with a 4-0 shutout over Jack Kuck and 285 pounds to put UVU up 3-0 right out of the gate. After Jesse Reed topped Tyler Scott (7-2) at 125, the Wolverines ran off three straight decisions. It was the first dual action for the freshman Scott, who was filling in for No. 18 Chasen Tolbert.

Rauser scored a 6-1 win over Rico Montoya at 133, and Maynes notched a 4-1 victory over Ben Polkowske at 141 before Willson's win at 149.

In one of the tightest matches of the night, Eleazar De Luca edged Raider Lofthouse, 7-6, at 157. In the 165-pound match, Keilan Torres was granted a late takedown as time expired to give him a 12-4 major decision over Brayden Humpherys. That ruling served as the one-point difference in the dual and, with the exception of each team's win by fall, was the only other bonus point earned.

The Wolverines, who faced Air Force on Thursday night, conclude their busy weekend on Saturday night in Laramie against Wyoming in the team's final Big 12 dual of the season. Utah Valley wraps up dual season next Saturday, Feb. 20 in a non-conference match against Grand Canyon at 4 p.m. MT in the PE Building in Orem. The Big 12 Championships will take place March 5-6 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City.


Northern Colorado 19, Utah Valley 18
285: Dustin Dennison (UVU) over Jack Kuck (NC), Dec. 4-0
125: Jesse Reed (NC) over Tyler Scott (UVU), Dec. 7-2
133: Jade Rauser (UVU) over Rico Montoya (NC), Dec. 6-1
141: Jarod Maynes (UVU) over Benjamin Polkowske (NC), Dec. 4-1
149: Trevor Willson (UVU) over Timmy Box (NC), Dec. 9-4
157: Eleazar De Luca (NC) over Raider Lofthouse (UVU), Dec. 7-6
165: Keilan Torres (NC) over Brayden Humpherys (UVU), MD 12-4
174: Ross Taylor (UVU) over Tyler Kinn (NC), Fall (5:52)
184: Tanner Davis (NC) over Will Sumner (UVU), Dec. 3-1
197: #20 Trent Noon (NC) over Aryton Almberg (UVU), Fall (:58)