OREM, Utah – Three-time NCAA qualifier and 19th-ranked senior Tanner Orndorff knocked off No. 4 Tanner Sloan but it wasn't enough, as South Dakota State managed to defeat Utah Valley, 24-12, in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams on Friday afternoon at the UCCU Center. 
 
Tanner Orndorff (197 pounds), No. 3 Tate Orndorff (285), No. 13 Kimball Bastian (174), and Taylor LaMont (133) all recorded wins on the day for the Wolverines (1-2, 0-1 Big 12) in UVU's home opener, while the Jackrabbits (1-1, 1-0 Big 12) managed to claim six of the 10 bouts, including a pair of falls on their way to picking up the conference victory.
 
"Tanner's win was big. The thing about Tanner is that he'll always keep wrestling no matter the situation and he did that today," head UVU coach Greg Williams said. "We don't like to lose but we're not that worried about our dual meets. What matters is getting our guys ready for the postseason.
 
"As a team, there just wasn't enough fight today. We have a handful of guys that need to show more purpose in their matches. But we'll continue to work on that in the room and hopefully we'll be ready to come out and compete against Wisconsin tomorrow (Saturday)."
 
With SDSU holding to a 9-0 lead after a trio of opening wins from SDSU's No. 16 Henry Pohlmeyer (149 pounds), Colten Carlson (157), and Garrett Jordan (165), the 13th-ranked senior Bastian responded for the Wolverines with a 4-0 decision over Cade King to make it a 9-3 team score. The two-time UVU NCAA qualifier picked up a first-period takedown, followed by a second-period escape, and an additional riding time point on his way to recording the Big 12 Conference victory. 
 
The Jacks then bounced back with a fall at 184 from No. 19 Zach Carlson to extend their lead to 15-3. 
 
Then in the marquee match of the day between the 19th-ranked senior Tanner Orndorff and No. 4 Tanner Sloan at 197 pounds, the Wolverine senior managed to knock-off the top-five ranked Jackrabbit via a 5-3 decision. With Sloan holding to a 2-1 advantage, Orndorff -- who started the season at 184 pounds and in his first bout back at 197 – seemingly took control of the match with a quick third-period escape followed by a go-ahead takedown to take a late 4-2 lead. Sloan then managed to record a late escape point, but Orndorff held the riding time advantage to seal the upset by a score of 5-3. 
 
Tanner Orndorff's brother and third-ranked sophomore Tate Orndorff then kept UVU's winning ways going by pulling out a hard fought 6-4 win in sudden victory over Blake Wolters at heavyweight. With the 2019 UVU NCAA qualifier and third-ranked Wolverine holding to a late 3-2 advantage and having riding time locked up, Wolters managed to record a late takedown to tie the contest at 4-4 with Orndorff's riding time and send the bout to overtime. Wolters then looked to get in on a couple of shot attempts in sudden victory, but Orndorff managed to fight them off and pick up the winning takedown of his own with just three seconds remaining in the opening overtime period to reccord the victory and pull UVU within 15-9 in the team score.
 
After a win from SDSU 125-pounder Kahlen Morris gave the Jacks a late 18-9 lead, UVU junior and 2018 NCAA qualifier LaMont responded for the Wolverines at 133 pounds with a 7-4 victory over Zach Price. LaMont, who recently decided to defer his Olympic redshirt year and comeback and compete the season for UVU, was the aggressor early in his first match in a UVU singlet since 2017-18 with a pair of quick first-period takedowns to jump out to an early 4-1 lead. An escape and a reversal from Price then tied the bout up at 4-4, but LaMont managed to respond with an escape and a takedown to lock up the match and pick up his first victory of the season. 
 
With the dual already decided, South Dakota State then finished off the day with a fall from Clay Carlson at 141 pounds. 
 
Friday's contest marked UVU's first dual held in the UCCU Center since the 2011-12 season.  
 
UVU will continue the weekend by welcoming No. 4 Wisconsin to town on Saturday. The Big 12 versus Big Ten showdown is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Lockhart Arena. Saturday's contest is slated to feature marquee matches between LaMont and 2018 National Champion and top-ranked Seth Gross at 133 pounds, as well as No. 3 Tate Orndorff versus No. 2 Trent Hillger at heavyweight. 
 
FINAL RESULTS
South Dakota State 24, Utah Valley 12 
149: #16 Henry Pohlmeyer (SDSU) DEC Landon Knutzen (UVU), 8-4
157: Colten Carlson (SDSU) DEC Jed Loveless (UVU), 13-6
165: Garrett Jordan (SDSU) DEC Koy Wilkinson (UVU), 3-2
174: #13 Kimball Bastian (UVU) DEC Cade King (SDSU), 4-0
184: #19 Zach Carlson (SDSU) FALL Gary Jantzer (UVU), 3:55
197: #19 Tanner Orndorff (UVU) DEC #4 Tanner Sloan (SDSU), 5-3
285: #3 Tate Orndorff (UVU) DEC Blake Wolters (SDSU), 6-4 (SV-1)
125: Kahlen Morris (SDSU) DEC Josiah Nava (UVU), 4-2
133: Taylor LaMont (UVU) DEC Zach Price (SDSU), 7-4
141: Clay Carlson (SDSU) FALL Cameron Hunsaker (UVU), 2:34
 
Orem, Utah - UCCU Center
Officials - Scott Hall, Chas DeWitt
Attendance – 509

*Individual rankings listed are the highest ranking from the latest InterMat, Flo, Track, TOM and Win Magazine polls.