GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Two wrestling rivals went toe-to-toe in a non-conference dual on Thursday evening in Brownson Arena. Colorado Mesa outlasted Western Colorado 24-22 after splitting the ten contested bouts at five a side, bonus points became the difference in the outcome.
 
The Mountaineers won the first three bouts with all coming for bonus points, building a 14-0 lead.
 
Daniel Van Hoose sparked a four-match winning run in the dual at 149 pounds. The Grand Junction native scored a 4-2 win over freshman Giovanni Cassioppi. Van Hoose was able to gain a 3-2 advantage and rode out his opponent for nearly an entire period and a half.
 
Seventh-ranked Payton Tawater scored a 13-0 major decision win over Jason Slaughter followed by a pair of pins by Hayden Harris (165) and Seth Latham (174). Harris trailed 12-1 in his bout and was being put to his back when he was able to reverse his position and put his opponent on his back to earn the pin.
 
Western Colorado's Hunter Mullin scored the upset win at 184 but Maverick Donnie Negus was able to score the dual clinching victory at 197 pounds. Negus, ranked 11^th nationally, won by a 21-5 technical fall victory over Kris Davis to seal the win.
 
The dual meet win was the first for head coach Chuck Pipher in five tries against his son, head coach Charlie Pipher of Western Colorado.
 
Colorado Mesa will next compete at the Reno Tournament of Champions on December 15 before the winter break.
 
Bout-by-Bout Results
125: Patrick Allis (WCU) maj dec Collin Metzgar, 14-5
133: Cody Fatzinger (WCU) maj dec Erik Contreras, 13-5
141: Jason Hanenberg (WCU) pins Dylan Keeney, 1:13
149: Daniel Van Hoose (CMU) dec Giovanni Cassioppi, 4-2
157: #7 Payton Tawater (CMU) maj dec Jason Slaughter, 13-0
165: Hayden Harris (CMU) pins Michael Thelen, 4:46
174: Seth Latham (CMU) pins Jimmy Laconte, 3:20
184: Hunter Mullin (WCU) dec Nolan Krone, 14-12
197: #11 Donnie Negus (CMU) tech fall Kris Davis, 21-5 (6:43)
285: Sammy Deseriere (WCU) tech fall Hunter Mooring, 21-5 (6:33)