Wrestler Andy McCulley works to pin an opponent on the mat at the NWCA National Duals this weekend in Columbia, Mont. UW placed fourth overall.
There has been a lot of pressure on the Cowboy’s wrestling team with their season dwindling down to its final days of competition.
Unfortunately, the team could not steal away a victory at the National Duals this past weekend in Columbia, Mont., finishing fourth in its region of the NWCA National Duals out of the four team’s competing. The team lost to 16th-ranked Purdue who is 20-16 overall and Maryland who is 20-12 overall.
Wyoming, now ranked at No. 20, lost to Purdue but did not take the defeat lying down. Trailing Purdue by only one point at 17-16, the Pokes needed to win the heavyweight bout. But Purdue’s wrestler shut the doors on UW.
In the two teams first-ever meeting, UW held Maryland in a 12-6 lead after six bouts. As the match-up continued on, however, the Terrapins won the final four matches that locked in the team’s victory.
Though the team was swept with a loss, sophomore wrestlers Tylers Cox, Andy McCulley and Dakota Friesth drew attention as all three went 2-0 during the events.
Athletic reports show Cox earned his third win over a ranked opponent this season as he outworked Purdue’s wrestler who was ranked 18 in a dominant 19-7 major decision. Cox then secured the winning with one second remaining in the sudden-victory period versus Maryland opponent to win 13-11. The success put Cox at his ninth-straight win since Jan. 6.
McCulley finished Sunday off with two tough matches, beating Purdue wrestler in a 6-2 decision. McCulley also secured another win 8-1 over Maryland. The No. 12, 157-pounder now has won five bouts in a row and 26 for the season according to his athletic profile.
Friesth, the winner of three-straight bouts, beat Purdue wrestler (7-3) and Maryland wrestler 6-3 in his 165-pound matchups.
In his final season, senior Alfonso Hernandez also stood out during the National Duals overcoming a four-point deficit with less than a minute left to tie things up with Purdue opponent who was ranked No. 17. Fourth-ranked Hernandez then worked for his fifth win over a ranked opponent defeating him in overtime to win his 28th match of the season. He is just one win away from moving into a tie for ninth place on UW’s all-time wins list. He has 113 for his career, according to his athletic report.
The team will go into their final regular-season dual of 2013 when they host WWC rival Air Force on Thursday in Cheyenne, Wyo. The Cowboys will then continue into the WWC/Championships /NCAA West Regional which will be held here in Laramie March 9. From there the team is hopeful in continuing into the NCAA Championships held in Des Moines, Iowa on March 21-23.
