In WVU's first match of the day against Bloomsburg, WVU fell behind early when No. 17 Brandon Lauer was upset Mark Piermattei, 10-8. The Mountaineers rebounded by scoring a season-high 26 consecutive points. Seventeenth-ranked Shane Cunanan, and No.4 Greg Jones recorded pins at 141 and 174, respectively, while No.6 Joe Carr and No.7 Tom McMath recorded major decisions at 157 and 165, respectively. Billy Smith won by forfeit at 149.
Brent Miller scored a 12-4 major decision over Andy Ludlow, Ryan Kehler pinned Tony Milone in :34 and Nathan Kendjorsky won a 10-8 decision at 125 to help pace the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers' 36 team points were a season high.
WVU's second match was marked by dramatic shifts in momentum. After Lauer was forced to forfeit due to injury giving Nebraska a 6-0 lead, Cunanan responded by pinning Scott Burnett in 2:46 to tie the score at 6-6. Smith's 9-5 decision over Adam Kastle gave the Mountaineers a 9-6 edge.
Bryan Snyder, the nation's top wrestler at 157, tried to turn things around for the Cornhuskers by pinning Carr at the 5:32 mark. WVU seized back the momentum with a pin by McMath and a technical fall by Jones running the score to 20-12. After Wilman dropped a narrow 11-10 decision, Miller got the Mountaineers back on track by earning a 12-3 major decision over Jason Zakarus to give WVU a 24-15 lead.
Kehler shut the door on Nebraska by recording his second pin of the day as he turned Pat Miron on his back in only :25. Kehler's two pins gives him 22 for his career, which ties him for second on WU's all-time list.
"I think this is a great day for us to be able to get two good wins," head coach Craig Turnbull said. "The match against Nebraska was exciting because each team kept trading knockdown punches. Each time they got a big win, our guys came back and kept responding."
WVU will return to action with two home matches next weekend. The Mountaineers will face Virginia on Friday, January 25, at 7:30 p.m. and then take on Buffalo on Saturady, January 26, at 5 p.m. Both matches will be held in the Coliseum.
West Virginia 36, Bloomsburg 7 Team Score
133 - Mark Piermattei (B) dec. Brandon Lauer (W), 10-8 0-3
141- #17 Shane Cunanan (W) pinned Adam Castner (B), 6:13 6-3
149 - #18 Billy Smith (W) won by forfeit 12-3
157 - #6 Joe Carr (W) maj. dec. B.J. Mikeska (B), 18-4 16-3
165 - #7 Tom McMath (W) maj. dec. Duane Bastress (B), 18-8 20-3
174 - #4 Greg Jones (W) pinned Tom Anderson (B), 1:49 26-3
184 - Justin Johnson (B) maj. dec. Ryan Wilman (W), 14-5 26-7
197 - Brent Miller (W) maj. dec. Andy Ludlow (B), 12-4 30-7
HWT - #19 Ryan Kehler (W) pinned Tony Milone (B), :34 36-7
125 - Nathan Kendjorsky (W) dec. Mike Collins (B), 10-8 39-7
West Virginia 30, Nebraska 21 Team Score
133 - Joey Malia (N) injury forfeit over #17 Brandon Lauer (W), 2:16 0-6
141 - #17 Shane Cunanan (W) pinned Scott Burnett (N), 2:46 6-6
149 - #18 Billy Smith (W) dec. Adam Kastle (N), 9-5 9-6
157 - #1 Bryan Snyder (N) pinned Joe Carr (W), 5:32 9-12
165 - #7 Tom McMath (W) pinned Tony Denke (N), 2:48 15-12
174 - #4 Greg Jones (W) tech. fall Jason High (N), 3:42 20-12
184 - #12 Travis Pascoe (N) dec. Ryan Wilman (W), 11-10 20-15
197- Brent Miller (W) maj.dec. Jason Zakarus (N), 24-15 24-15
HWT - #19 Ryan Kehler (W) pinned Pat Miron (N), :25 30-15
125 - #6 Jason Powell (N) pinned Nathan Kendjorsky (W), 2:28 30-21