WVU defeats Air Force on third-criteria tiebreaker, 19-18

VIDEO: Interviews from the dual

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – West Virginia edged out Air Force Academy with a 19-18 win that was decided on the third tiebreaker criteria on Friday night at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

With the dual split at five matches apiece and each team owning a six-point victory, it came down to total match points. The Mountaineers outscored the Falcons, 28-27, to take the dual victory over their Big 12 opponent.

“Bottom line, it was ugly. We won ugly,” WVU coach Sammie Henson said. “A win is a win. Air Force is a good dual-meet team. We got behind and they got some good wins behind us, but we came back. I think it’s just that we’re pulling together as a team.

The Mountaineers collected a win by forfeit at 133 pounds, while the Falcons responded a few matches later with a huge pin from U23 Greco-Roman World Team member Alex Mossing at 157 pounds.

Mossing fell behind fast in a 6-0 deficit against WVU’s Zach Moore but went back to his Greco roots with a big throw in the closing seconds of the first period.

“I kind of felt him, he wasn’t as strong in his ties as when he has first came out,” Mossing said. “When I felt him weak I just shot an underhook on one side and got something on the other side I was able to go straight for a throw and put him right to his back. Once I get in that, I can throw anybody."

Mossing’s win gave the Falcons a 12-9 lead going into the break. West Virginia responded, winning three of the next five matches.

Down 18-12 with two bouts left, West Virginia forced its way back into it with a 6-4 decision from Jake Smith at 197 pounds and a sudden victory win from Brandon Ngati at heavyweight. It was Ngati’s third win of the year.

Other Mountaineers picking up wins included 2015 NCAA finalist and 16th-ranked Zeke Moisey at 125 pounds and Nick Kiussis at 165 pounds.

“Going into the break, we were down,” Moisey said. “I think how we fought back from being down really defines us as a team right now.”

Of the nine bouts that were actually wrestled, the Air Force Falcons won five of them. In addition to Mossing’s pin, AFA victors included Garrett O’Shea at 141, Dane Robbins at 149, Michael Billingsley at 174 and Zen Ikehara at 184, who won in a sudden-victory situation.

“I know it came down to a tie and West Virginia is going to get a win and we’re going to get a loss, but we wrestled nine matches. We won five and they won four. We won tonight,” Air Force head coach Sam Barber said.

West Virginia is back in action tomorrow night, traveling to Greeley, Colo., to take on Northern Colorado, while Air Force will hit the road tomorrow en route to Fargo, N.D., for another Big 12 matchup with the North Dakota State Bison.

WEST VIRGINIA 19, AIR FORCE 18

at Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

125: No. 16 Zeke Moisey (WVU) dec. Tony DeCesare (AFA), 7-3
133: Matthew Schmitt (WVU) wins by forfeit
141: Garrett O’Shea (AFA) dec. Christian Monserrat (WVU), 4-2
149: Dane Robbins (AFA) dec. Kyler Rea (WVU), 3-1
157: Alex Mossing (AFA) pin Zachary Moore (WVU), 2:36
165: Nick Kiussis (WVU) dec. Alex Loupouchanski (AFA), 4-3
174: Michael Billingsley (AFA) dec. Parker VonEdigy (WVU), 6-4
184: Zen Ikehara (AFA) dec. Brenden McRill (WVU), 3-1 SV1
197: Jake Smith (WVU) dec. Anthony McLaughlin (AFA), 6-4
285: Brandon Ngati (WVU) dec. Matt Wagner (AFA), 3-1