Kearney, Neb. – The fourth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team rolled through the fifth annual Midwest Duals by easily defeating four Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foes Saturday in the Health & Sports Center and Cushing Coliseum.

The Midwest Duals, held on campus this season, were a two-day event that drew 70 plus teams from around the country to Kearney. The 18-mat tourney featured over 300 duals in five divisions (NCAA Division II, NAIA, Junior College, High School and Kids Club).

For complete results of all the duals, visit www.trackwrestling.com. 

Improving to 12-4, UNK smashed Adams State (Colo.), 35-12, New Mexico Highlands, 42-0, 12th-ranked California Baptist, 31-13, and Colorado Mesa, 27-9. Due to weather, four teams couldn't make it to Nebraska, one being Drury University (Mo.). The first-year Panthers were replaced on the Loper schedule by Adams.

Overall, UNK went 32-8 on the day with eight falls, four tech falls and four majors. Junior Calvin Ochs (Hoxie, Kans.) led the way with a 4-0 effort at 174 pounds; the nation's fourth-ranked individual at 174 is working towards dropping down to 165 pounds by month's end.

Next, true freshman Jacob Wasser (Kintnersville, Pa.) went 3-0 at 141 pounds with sophomore Zach Stodden (184 lbs.) and true freshman Vlad Kazakov (125 lbs.) each posting 3-1 marks. Finally, junior heavyweight Kevin Barrett (Baltimore, Md.) went 3-0 with two falls.

UNK's toughest battle came at the end against the unranked CMU Mavericks. The Lopers did get falls from Barrett and second-ranked junior Bryce Shoemaker (133 lbs.) but took five other weights by a combined score of 13-4.

Stodden (Broomfield, Colo.), ranked 11th at 184 lbs., used a second period takedown to win 3-2 with Ochs using a second period reversal to blank his opponent, 2-0. Finally, wrestling up at 149 pounds, junior Keith Surber (O'Fallon, Ill.) won 2-1 thanks to a third period stall call on Nick Swanson. Ranked ninth nationally at 141 pounds, Surber went 3-1 on the day at his new weight.

Ochs also recorded a 2-0 victory against the CBU Lancers. An escape and stall call helped him nip ninth-ranked Nolan Kistler. Two weights prior, Hawaii sophomore Bubba Jaramillo used the patent twister to record a 1:11 fall while Wasser used an early escape edge Peter Cunningham, 1-0.

In the shutout of the NMHU Cowboys, Ochs, Kazakov and Shoemaker had tech falls with Colorado sophomore Seth Harrington having a solid win over veteran Reis Humphrey, 4-2, at 157 pounds.

To start the day, the Lopers used three falls to make quick work of the ASU Grizzlies. After Wasser pinned Joshua Sales in 4:35, Surber needed just 17 seconds to pin Devin Vasquez. Soon after, Colorado sophomore Nick Babcock got to Wyatt Robinson at the 1:19 mark.

The Lopers are on the road the next two weeks, facing No. 23 Newman (Thurs.) and No. 8 Central Oklahoma (Fri.) next weekend.