Jan. 26, 2002

LARAMIE, Wyo. -

Wrestling two duals in consecutive days, the University of Wyoming Cowboys managed a split with Western Athletic Conference opponent Boise State and West Coast Conference opponent Portland State to improve their season record to 4-9.

Friday night the Pokes faced their fifth top-25 ranked team of the season when they wrestled 25th-ranked Boise State in Boise, Idaho. The Broncos won seven of ten matches against UW on way to a 25-9 victory improving their season record to 6-3.

The Cowboys lost the first three matches to the Broncos falling behind 12-0. The first UW win of the night was at 197 pounds when freshman Malcolm Havens defeated Jacob McGinnis 7-4. Junior Brad Steele pulled the Cowboys to within six points, 12-6, after he defeated Bronco heavyweight Bart Johnson 3-2. BSU would go on to win the next four matches at 125, 133, 141 and 149 to take a commanding 25-6 lead. Sophomore Levi Prevost won the evening's last match at 157 pounds, 12-6 over Tyler Robertson.

Saturday afternoon in Portland, Ore., the Cowboys bounced back to defeat the Portland State Vikings in a close match, 24-19. Both teams won five matches, however the Cowboys were able to score extra team points for one technical fall, one fall and one forfeit.

Steele got the Cowboys on the scoreboard first with a major decision over Eric Mustoe in the heavyweight division 18-8. PSU won the second match at 125 before Wyoming would go on to win the next four matches.

Senior Kelly McConville won by technical fall at 133 pounds over Zac Enoch 15-0. At 141, Mark Hamrick pinned Casey Banks giving UW a 15-6 lead. Junior Thad Trujillo won by forfeit at 149 followed by sophomore Levi Prevost's 8-2 victory at 157 pounds over Tyler Robertson.

Portland State (6-10) won the final four matches of the day at 165, 174, 184 and 197.

Wyoming returns home Feb. 9, for its next dual when they face 14th-ranked Northern Iowa in Laramie. The dual will begin at 7:00 pm and will be in the MulitPurpose Gym on the campus of the University of Wyoming.

Boise State 25, Wyoming 9

165- Nathan Ploehn (BSU) defeated Josh Hayek (UW), fall 1:57 174- Pat Owens (BSU) defeated E.K. Waldhaus (UW), 4-2 184- Tony D'Amico (BSU) defeated Kevin Kessner (UW), 2-0 197- Malcolm Havens (UW) defeated Jacob McGinnis (BSU), 7-4 HWT- Brad Steele (UW) defeated Bart Johnson (BSU), 3-2 125- Ben VomBaur (BSU) defeated Reynold Candelaria (UW), 8-2 133- Jesse Brock (BSU) defeated Kelly McConville (UW), 6-3 141- Gabe Vigil (BSU) defeated Mark Hamrick (UW), 11-4 149- Collin Robertson (BSU) defeated Thad Trujillo (UW), 14-4 157- Levi Prevost (UW) defeated Tyler Robertson (BSU), 12-6

Wyoming 24, Portland State 19

HWT- Brad Steele (UW) defeated Eric Mustoe (PSU), 18-8 125- Casey Kotter (PSU) defeated Reynold Candelaria (UW), fall 5:58 133- Kelly McConville (UW) defeated Zac Enoch (PSU), 15-0 141- Mark Hamrick (UW) defeated Casey Banks (PSU), fall 3:58 149- Thad Trujillo won by forfeit 157- Levi Prevost (UW) defeated Eric Arbogast (PSU), 8-2 165- Shawn Keinonen (PSU) defeated Josh Hayek (UW), 23-10 174- Quinn Collett (PSU) defeated E.K. Waldhaus (UW), 9-3 184- Jeremy Wilson (PSU) defeated Kevin Kessner (UW), 3-2 197- Randy Davidson (PSU) defeated Malcolm Havens (UW), 6-5