The Grapplers of New Mexico Highlands University finished a three dual road trip including a win against Wayland Baptist University and a loss apiece to Chadron State University and Colorado School of Mines.
Highlands dropped their dual against the Eagles 28-13.
Edward Zuckerman,
Travis Saxon and
Igor Gomzin all earned points for the Cowboys. The Cowboys fell to a team that had won seven of their previous ten matches.
From Chadron, the 'Pokes traveled 300 miles to Golden, Colo. for a back and forth dual against the Orediggers of Colorado School of Mines. Highlands immediately gave up six with a forfeit at the 125 lb. weight class but Zuckerman neutralized the dual score with a pin against Tanner Taylor in 1:52. The dual battled back and forth with wins from
Chris Rubalcaba,
Easton Hargrave, and Gomzin but the 'Pokes giving up an early six points was a detriment to the overall score. Going into the final match, Mines held a slim lead of 22-21, but it was Robert Tucker's double overtime win over
Louis Thornton (5-4) that clinched the Orediggers win.
The final leg of the 1,700 mile road trip proved to be successful as the Cowboys pulled off a 24-18 win against the Pioneers of Wayland Baptist University. The Pioneers took an early lead winning the first four of five matches. After the first half started rocky, Highlands stepped up their game with three pins and a triple overtime decision to grab the overall win.
“I thought we had a tough road trip and the guys battled through all the miles,” said Head Coach
Doug Moses. “When we got to Wayland, they had a completely different lineup than our first match against them. It honestly didn't really matter who they threw out at us, we wanted to win, and we did”.
GO COWBOYS!!!
