HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State men's wrestling team dropped its first conference dual of the season Friday evening (Feb. 9), losing to seventh-ranked Nebraska-Kearney 43-0. The Tigers are now 4-5 overall and 3-1 in conference duals, while the Lopers improve to 18-3 on the year and 4-0 in league action.
 
The Lopers took an early lead, going up 14-0 through three matches. Marcell Dely gave the Tigers a great chance to get on the board at 149 pounds, recording a pair of second period takedowns to take the lead entering the final period. The redshirt-freshman nearly had another takedown with less than 10 seconds to go, but UNK's John Burger did just enough to ward off the threat and win 7-6 after being awarded the ride time point.
 
The Lopers added three more major decisions and a technical fall over the next four bouts before 10th-ranked Tereus Henry locked horns with eighth-ranked Jackson Kinsella. After a scoreless first period, both wrestlers managed quick escapes to start the second and third periods. Henry took control with a takedown 30 seconds into the third period, but Kinsella came away with the win after recording the go-ahead takedown with 15 seconds on the clock and holding on for the remainder of the frame. UNK finished things off with a pin in the final bout of the evening.

Fort Hays State will wrap up the regular season next Saturday (Feb. 17) at home when the Tigers host top-ranked Central Oklahoma beginning at 2 p.m.
 
#7 Nebraska-Kearney 43, Fort Hays State 0
125 - #6 Zachary Ourada over D'Andre Brown (MD 10-0)
133 - Hector Serratos over Kevin Honas (TF 17-0 4:26)
141 - #7 Nick James over Drew Bell (TF 21-5 5:30)
149 - John Burger over Marcell Dely (Dec 7-6)
157 - Nicholas Stoltenberg over Hunter Harris (MD 12-2)
165 - Kaden Hart over Cody Hicks (MD 11-1)
174 - Dylan Vodicka over Juan Urbina (MD 13-2)
184 - #12 Billy Higgins over Matthew Rodriguez (TF 16-1 4:27)
197 - #8 Jackson Kinsella over #10 Tereus Henry (Dec 5-4)
285 - #5 Crew Howard over Tony Caldwell (Fall 1:54)
184 - Extra: Jacobi Deal over Bryce Westmoreland (TF 19-4 5:26)