#2 Lopers Win at Augustana, 20-12

 The now second-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team used two major decisions and won three close decisions to beat 13th-ranked Augustana, 20-12, Friday afternoon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Lopers, who fell to second in the second regular season edition of the NWCA Division II rankings on Thursday, moved to 4-1 while the Vikings fell to 3-3. Augie has now dropped six straight duals to UNK.

The Blue & Gold built an early 10-0 lead as 15th-ranked Zach Ourada (Omaha Skutt) amassed eight third points to record a 15-4 major at 133 lbs. with graduate Caleb Coyle (Bennington) and 10th-ranked Joseph Airola (Ward, Colo.) winning by scores of 2-0 and 4-2, respectively. At 125 pounds, Coyle had a first period takedown with Airola having a second period escape and riding time to win by two at 141 pounds.

Next, redshirt sophomore Brady Collins (Wray, Colo.) had two first period takedowns to lead eighth-ranked Nolan Ambrose at 149 pounds. However, Ambrose used a second period takedown and a third period escape to force overtime. There, he used a takedown and a two-point near fall to win. The breaks went UNK's way at the next weight as sixth-ranked Cael Robb (Medford, Minn.) won 1-0 thanks to a second-period escape with fourth-ranked Trenton Munoz (Santa Clarita, Calif.) rolling to a 14-6 win. His day included three takedowns and a reversal.

Finally, Augie tried to rally as they pulled mild upsets at 174 and 197 pounds. Tenth-ranked Coy Gunderson had a third period takedown to edge ninth-ranked Otgonbayar Batsuuri (Mongolia), 5-4, with second-ranked Max Ramberg handing top-ranked Jackson Kinsella (Creston, Ia.) his first loss of the year at 197 lbs., 4-1. Ramberg started the third with an escape and then recorded a takedown. Last year, Ramberg posted two 4-1 (SV) victories over Kineslla during the regular season, but the tables turned at the NCAA Championships. Kinsella won 7-3 in the quarters and then 7-2 in the third-place match. 

UNK heads to the National Duals Jan. 9-10 in Cedar Falls, Ia. The brackets for that tournament will be announced soon.