Kearney, Neb. - The 9th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team won five straight matches to edge No. 13 Western State, 20-19, Wednesday night in Gunnison, Colo.

UNK improves to 15-3 (5-1 RMAC) while the Mountaineers, two-time defending RMAC champs, fall to 10-6 (7-1 RMAC). 

Things didn't start off well for the Lopers as 5th-ranked Kyle O'Brien slipped past sophomore Josh Smith (Houston, Texas), the nation's 6th-ranked wrestler at 125 lbs., 5-4 to begin the dual. O'Brien recorded a takedown with 22 seconds left to provide the winning margin.

At 133 lbs., senior Jesse Cruz recorded a fall at 4:43 to put Western up 9-0.

That's when the Lopers took control, winning the next five matches to rack up 20 team points. Seventh-ranked Dalton Jensen (Missouri Valley, Ia.) started the rally with a 16-0 tech fall (6:13) and then second-ranked T.J. Hepburn (East Hampton, Conn.) followed with a fall in 2:55 to quickly make it an 11-9 UNK lead.

Jensen racked up 10 near fall points with Hepburn leading 4-1 before pinning Brandon Montoya. 

Next, UNK got decisions from sophomore Islam Abitov (Kearney H.S.), junior Joey Wilson (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) and sophomore Drew Comito (Spokane, Wash.), by a combined score of 26-10, at the next three weights to push its lead to 20-9.

In these wins, the Lopers had 10 total takedowns with each wrestler picking up an extra point for riding time.

The dual win, however, wasn't secure as Western's big three were up next in 2nd-ranked Charlie Pipher (184 lbs.), top-ranked Donovan McMahill (197 lbs.) and 3rd-ranked Charlie Alexander (285 lbs.).

Colorado native Ross Brunkhardt almost ran the Lopers win streak to six but Pipher used a third period escape to win 1-0 and push his season record to 11-1.

McMahill did win by major decision and then Alexander got by senior Ben Hohensee (Monett, Mo.), 3-1 in sudden victory, to end the dual.

UNK is at Mesa State Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. Central.