Overtime Losses Prove Costly as No. 20 WVU Falls to Wyoming

Two wins via sudden victory were the key factor in Wyoming’s slim 19-18 victory over No. 20 WVU on Saturday night inside the Uniwyo Sports Complex.

The Mountaineers’ Caleb Dowling, after returning to action on Thursday for the first time since November, was defeated by Jared Hill 8-5 in overtime at 157 pounds to give the Cowboys a 13-7 lead.

After West Virginia claimed back-to-back wins at 165 and 174 to regain a 15-13 advantage, Wyoming posted two straight wins at 184 and 197 to jump back in front, with the latter being the Cowboys’ Joey Novak edging Ian Bush 9-6 in overtime, putting Wyoming ahead 19-15.

With the Mountaineers’ needing a bonus-point victory in the heavyweight bout to tie the match, West Virginia came up short as Rune Lawrence earned a 4-1 decision to set the final.

West Virginia dropped to 1-5 all-time against Wyoming, with the Mountaineers’ lone win coming in 2020.

No. 10 ranked Jett Strickenberger opened the night by claiming his eighth straight dual meet win, defeating Garrett Ricks by an 11-3 major decision. Tommy Maddox followed with his first career dual meet victory, an 11-8 decision over Stockton O’Brien, to put West Virginia ahead 7-0.

Wyoming tallied wins in three consecutive bouts at 141, 149 and 157 to go in front 13-7.

Coming off his first loss of the season on Thursday, Peyton Hall rebounded by defeating Cooper Voorhees by technical fall 18-3 at 165. Brody Conley then defeated Riley Davis 4-2 at 174, setting up the finish.

The WVU wrestling team (9-7, 3-6) will close the regular season against Arizona State on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. inside the WVU Coliseum.