Kearney, Neb. – The 3rd-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team went 3-2 at the 2nd Annual Midwest Duals Saturday at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.
 
UNK is now 4-6 (1-0) on the season. Complete results are available at trackwrestling.com.
 
The Lopers were a bit short handed as fourth-ranked Chase White (157 lbs.) missed all five duals due to injury while top-ranked Romero Cotton (197 lbs.) missed the final three, also due to a minor ailment.
 
Junior Leandro Arias (Cheyenne, Wyo.) bumped up two classes to fill the void left by White and recorded three falls. Next, top-ranked Daniel DeShazer (133 lbs.) went 4-0 with seventh-ranked Destin McCauley (149 lbs.) going 3-1 with the only loss being to a defending national champ.
 
Kearney beat MIAA rival Central Missouri, 43-4, RMAC-member Colorado State-Pueblo, 35-9, and Pratt (Kans.) C.C., 42-6, while falling to 11th-ranked Western State, 25-24, and 19th-ranked Colorado Mesa, 23-10.
 
UNK started the long day with three falls and two tech falls to whip the UCM Mules. Cotton (Hutchinson, Kans.) had the quickest fall, in 2:29, with redshirt freshman Ivan DeLeon (Katy, Texas) blanking his opponent, 15-0.
 
Against Mesa, the Lopers suffered a last second lost at 125 lbs. and an OT setback at 165 lbs. The Mavericks also recorded two major decisions with McCauley having a 16-4 major to pace UNK.
 
Six falls and a major highlighted the Western dual. The Lopers had leads of 18-3 and 24-9 as redshirt freshman Chance Bila (Chadron) had a defensive fall at 4:49 to with Arias pinning his Mountaineer late in the third period.
 
However, Western's Kyle Piatt (5th/184 lbs.) and Sam Magnum (6th/197 lbs.) recorded a 36 second fall and a 9-1 major, respectivlely, to rally the Mountaineers. Heavyweight Peter Anguinao then capped the comeback with a fall at 1:48.
 
Things were easier in the evening against CSUP and PCC. The Lopers racked up seven falls, including ones by Cozad senior Tanner Sturgeon (174 lbs.), Illinois redshirt freshman Keith Surber (141 lbs.) and Gretna true freshman Brady Radik (197 lbs.).
 
UNK hosts 15th-ranked Fort Hays State at 6:00 p.m. in Cushing Coliseum next Friday night.