University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Sunday, February 17
Greeley, Colo.
2 pm
University of Northern Colorado
19
vs
26
Wyoming
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
@UNCBearsWrestle Holds its Own Against No. 12 Wyoming
2/17/2019 5:42:00 PM | Wrestling
Northern Colorado dropped the dual against the Cowboys 26-19
Northern Colorado wrestling battled hard all afternoon against No.12 Wyoming, but fell short, 26-19 in the dual. Wyoming won six matches and had two tech falls that helped the Cowboys top UNC on Sunday afternoon. Wyoming is also ranked No. 2 in the NWCA mid-major poll
"I think we definitely wrestled better against a better team," head coach Troy Nickerson said. "The coaching staff and I thought [moving up weight classes] gave us the best chance after the forfeit and the guys bought into it. Jacob [Seely] got a win over a guy that was ranked above him so it's a good feeling to see him go out there and knock the guy off. Rico [Montoya] was in a tough situation and he goes out and wrestles hard. It's a nice way to comeback and for him to feel better about himself. Wyoming is right up the road and we recruit against them. We want to turn it into a rivalry. Eventually, we want to be on the front side of that and I think we're getting closer."
Dante Rodriguez wrestled up a weight class at 157 lb, but did not miss a beat as he pinned Jed Loveless in the first period. Rodriguez had a takedown on Loveless and earned the fall on him at 2:33 in the match.
"I go out and wrestle [aggressively]," Rodriguez said. "That's just the way I go out there. Its win or lose and I'm not losing. When I go out there, on the mat in front of a crowd, it doesn't bother me. I'm going out there and do what I can even a weight up and do it for my team. I enjoy wrestling and it puts a smile on my face."
The Bears were aided in the 149 lb match, as Wyoming's Jaron Jensen forfeited giving Armando Santillan the win and six points.
Rodriguez's pin and the forfeit gave UNC a 12-7 lead after four matches.
No. 23 Jacob Seely got back on track in the 197 lb bout, earning a 5-3 decision win over No. 19 Cale Davidson. The majority of the scoring took place in the third period, as Seely would score a take down and a two-point, near fall on Davidson. Seely had 1:41 minutes of riding to add on another point for the win. The win gave UNC a chance in the dual, trailing the Cowboys 21-15.
"It's an opponent I've beaten before and I expect to win," Seely said. "[Davidson] is a good opponent and poses some problems with my style. We know where he's good and we know where I'm good so it's about putting me in the best position to get to my attacks and score."
Robert Winters Jr. faced Brian Andrews in the 285 lb match, and Andrews had a 6-0 lead after the first period. After extending the lead to 13-0 in the second period, Andrews had a takedown of Winters Jr. at the 1:29 mark and earned the 15-0 tech fall. Andrews win put the dual out of reach for the Bears at 26-15 with one match remaining.
No. 16 Rico Montoya closed out the dual with a 12-4 major decision over Doyle Trout. Montoya rebounded from Friday's loss and recorded four takedowns on Trout and had 2:30 minutes of riding time in the victory.
The dual started in the 133 lb bout, as No. 10 Montorie Bridges defeated Sean Cannon 10-2 by major decision.
Chris Sandoval competed tough against No. 12 Sam Turner at 141 lb, but dropped the match 4-1 by decision.
Jordan Robison wrestled up a weight at 165 lb against No. 8 Branson Ashworth. Ashworth won with a 15-0 tech fall at 6:15.
Macoy Flanagan, also wrestling up a weight, dropped a 7-1 decision to Hayden Hastings in the 174 lb match.
In the 184 lb bout, No. 19 Tate Samuelson earned the fall over Dalton Robertson at 2:32.
"We just need to continue to get better," Nickerson added. "I think there are a couple of technical areas, that were evident tonight, that we need to continue to improve. We have one home dual left next Sunday. It's a big one and we want to win that, being an instate matchup."
Up Next
Northern Colorado will close out its dual schedule next Sunday (2/24) against Air Force at Bank of Colorado Arena. The dual will be senior day, as Rico Montoya and Dante Rodriguez will compete in front of UNC fans for the final time.
Results
133: Montorie Bridges over Sean Cannon (MD 10-2)
141: Sam Turner over Christopher Sandoval (Dec 4-1)
149: Armando Santillan over Jaron Jensen (For.)
157: Dante Rodriguez over Jed Loveless (Fall 2:33)
165: Branson Ashworth over Jordan Robison (TF 15-0 6:15)
174: Hayden Hastings over Macoy Flanagan (Dec 7-1)
184: Tate Samuelson over Dalton Robertson (Fall 2:32)
197: Jacob Seely over Cale Davidson (Dec 5-3)
285: Brian Andrews over Robert Winters (TF 15-0 5:31)
125: Rico Montoya over Doyle Trout (MD 12-4)
"I think we definitely wrestled better against a better team," head coach Troy Nickerson said. "The coaching staff and I thought [moving up weight classes] gave us the best chance after the forfeit and the guys bought into it. Jacob [Seely] got a win over a guy that was ranked above him so it's a good feeling to see him go out there and knock the guy off. Rico [Montoya] was in a tough situation and he goes out and wrestles hard. It's a nice way to comeback and for him to feel better about himself. Wyoming is right up the road and we recruit against them. We want to turn it into a rivalry. Eventually, we want to be on the front side of that and I think we're getting closer."
Dante Rodriguez wrestled up a weight class at 157 lb, but did not miss a beat as he pinned Jed Loveless in the first period. Rodriguez had a takedown on Loveless and earned the fall on him at 2:33 in the match.
"I go out and wrestle [aggressively]," Rodriguez said. "That's just the way I go out there. Its win or lose and I'm not losing. When I go out there, on the mat in front of a crowd, it doesn't bother me. I'm going out there and do what I can even a weight up and do it for my team. I enjoy wrestling and it puts a smile on my face."
The Bears were aided in the 149 lb match, as Wyoming's Jaron Jensen forfeited giving Armando Santillan the win and six points.
Rodriguez's pin and the forfeit gave UNC a 12-7 lead after four matches.
No. 23 Jacob Seely got back on track in the 197 lb bout, earning a 5-3 decision win over No. 19 Cale Davidson. The majority of the scoring took place in the third period, as Seely would score a take down and a two-point, near fall on Davidson. Seely had 1:41 minutes of riding to add on another point for the win. The win gave UNC a chance in the dual, trailing the Cowboys 21-15.
"It's an opponent I've beaten before and I expect to win," Seely said. "[Davidson] is a good opponent and poses some problems with my style. We know where he's good and we know where I'm good so it's about putting me in the best position to get to my attacks and score."
Robert Winters Jr. faced Brian Andrews in the 285 lb match, and Andrews had a 6-0 lead after the first period. After extending the lead to 13-0 in the second period, Andrews had a takedown of Winters Jr. at the 1:29 mark and earned the 15-0 tech fall. Andrews win put the dual out of reach for the Bears at 26-15 with one match remaining.
No. 16 Rico Montoya closed out the dual with a 12-4 major decision over Doyle Trout. Montoya rebounded from Friday's loss and recorded four takedowns on Trout and had 2:30 minutes of riding time in the victory.
The dual started in the 133 lb bout, as No. 10 Montorie Bridges defeated Sean Cannon 10-2 by major decision.
Chris Sandoval competed tough against No. 12 Sam Turner at 141 lb, but dropped the match 4-1 by decision.
Jordan Robison wrestled up a weight at 165 lb against No. 8 Branson Ashworth. Ashworth won with a 15-0 tech fall at 6:15.
Macoy Flanagan, also wrestling up a weight, dropped a 7-1 decision to Hayden Hastings in the 174 lb match.
In the 184 lb bout, No. 19 Tate Samuelson earned the fall over Dalton Robertson at 2:32.
"We just need to continue to get better," Nickerson added. "I think there are a couple of technical areas, that were evident tonight, that we need to continue to improve. We have one home dual left next Sunday. It's a big one and we want to win that, being an instate matchup."
Up Next
Northern Colorado will close out its dual schedule next Sunday (2/24) against Air Force at Bank of Colorado Arena. The dual will be senior day, as Rico Montoya and Dante Rodriguez will compete in front of UNC fans for the final time.
Results
133: Montorie Bridges over Sean Cannon (MD 10-2)
141: Sam Turner over Christopher Sandoval (Dec 4-1)
149: Armando Santillan over Jaron Jensen (For.)
157: Dante Rodriguez over Jed Loveless (Fall 2:33)
165: Branson Ashworth over Jordan Robison (TF 15-0 6:15)
174: Hayden Hastings over Macoy Flanagan (Dec 7-1)
184: Tate Samuelson over Dalton Robertson (Fall 2:32)
197: Jacob Seely over Cale Davidson (Dec 5-3)
285: Brian Andrews over Robert Winters (TF 15-0 5:31)
125: Rico Montoya over Doyle Trout (MD 12-4)
Players Mentioned
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