FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State and Wyoming both won five matches in their Western Wrestling Conference dual on Friday, Feb. 21, but a pair of major decisions by the Cowboys were enough to give them a 17-16 upset over the No. 19-ranked Bison wrestling team.
Wyoming (6-6, 4-1 WWC) earned major decisions from Andy McCulley at 157 pounds and Shane Woods at 197 pounds, while the lone NDSU bonus point came via No. 3-ranked Steven Monk’s 11-2 major decision at 165.
The dual opened at 157 pounds and was tied 4-4 after McCulley and Monk traded major decisions. No. 11-ranked Hayden Zillmer posted a 3-2 decision over Brent Havlik at 174 pounds to give the Bison a brief lead.
No. 15-ranked Benjamin Stroh held on for a 5-4 decision over NDSU’s Kurtis Julson in a close battle at 184 pounds to tie the dual at 7-7 before Woods recorded a 14-5 major decision over Tyler Lehmann at 197 to give Wyoming an 11-7 lead.
Bison junior Evan Knutson earned a 6-3 decision at heavyweight to get NDSU within 11-10 on the scoreboard, but the Bison could never regain the lead. Wyoming won decisions at 125 pounds and 141 pounds.
NDSU seniors Justin LaValle and Tyler Diamond both won 6-2 at 133 and 149 pounds, respectively, but Diamond was unable to earn bonus points in the night’s final match to swing the dual in NDSU’s favor.
NDSU (10-7, 3-1 WWC) will host South Dakota State on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. in the final wrestling event at the Bison Sports Arena.
Wyoming 17, North Dakota State 16
157 Andy McCulley, WYOM, maj. dec. Nicholas Olejnik, NDSU, 15-2
165 Steven Monk, NDSU, maj. dec. Dakota Friesth, WYOM, 11-2
174 Hayden Zillmer, NDSU, dec. Brent Havlik, WYOM, 3-2
184 Benjamin Stroh, WYOM, dec. Kurtis Julson, NDSU, 5-4
197 Shane Woods, WYOM, maj. dec. Tyler Lehmann, NDSU, 14-5
285 Evan Knutson, NDSU, dec. Tanner Harms, WYOM, 6-3
125 Tyler Cox, WYOM, dec. Hunter Weber, NDSU, 4-1
133 Justin LaValle, NDSU, dec. Gunnar Woodburn, WYOM, 6-2
141 Cole Mendenhall, WYOM, dec. Clayton Cathey, NDSU, 13-7
149 Tyler Diamond, NDSU, dec. Brandon Richardson, WYOM, 6-2