Before a standing-room only crowd Saturday night at Sapp Fieldhouse, No. 2 Nebraska-Omaha fell to No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney, 18-16, in a dual meet that came down to the final match. 

UNK's Joe Ellenberger, ranked No. 7 at 157 pounds, pinned UNO's Henry Wahle with one second remaining in the second period to give the Lopers the victory. 

The win improves UNK to 15-1, while the Mavericks fall to 5-4 in dual meets. 

UNO was the beneficiary of the draw which put the 165-pounders at the top of the card, pitting top-ranked Ross Taplin against redshirt freshman Taylor May. The contest was as close as could be. After a scoreless first period, each wrestler scored a quick one-point escape to start the second and third periods. After a scoreless overtime and five tiebreakers, the score still stood tied, 3-3. Taplin won on the advantage in riding time - six seconds. 

The Mavericks put up J.D. Naig, also ranked No. 1, at 174 pounds, who handily defeated Dan Hospodka in a major decision, 9-1, giving UNO a 7-0 lead in the meet. 

Third-ranked Matt Farrell got the Lopers on the board with a 7-2 decision over UNO's Austin Boehm at 184 pounds, helped by a take-down and near fall in the second period. 

At 197 pounds, No. 2 Jacob Marrs scored the night's only shutout, topping No. 8 Kelsey Empting, 3-0, putting the team score at 10-3 for UNO. 

The heavyweight match saw No. 1 Tervel Dlagnev defeat No. 7 Tony Lewis, 11-5. It was Dlagnev's 40th win of the season, 23rd in a row, with just one loss. 

No. 3 Trevor Charbonneau scored a 9-4 decision over UNO's Jimmy Ball at 125 pounds. At that point of the meet, the Mavericks held on to a 10-9 lead. 

Mavericks freshman Jeff Rau narrowly missed a colossal upset in the 133-pound match, falling to No. 1 Brett Allgood, 12-11. Allgood was firmly in control of the match until midway through the second period when Rau caught Allgood off-balance for a two-point takedown, then scored three on a near fall. Allgood recovered and held on for the one-point win, giving the Lopers a 12-10 lead. 

Sim Bribieseca, ranked No. 8, gave the advantage back to the Mavericks, 13-12, scoring a crucial 3-1 decision over UNK's No. 5 Jeff Rutledge at 141 pounds. Bribieseca won it in the third tiebreaker with a double-leg takedown. 

UNO's third No. 1-ranked wreslter, Ross Taplin, scored an 8-4 decision over No. 8 Matt True at 149 pounds, scoring three takedowns in the third period. 

That made the score 16-12 for UNO, setting the stage for the dramatic final match. Wahle avoided being pinned in the first period, but Ellenberger was able to get Wahle's shoulders to the mat just before time expired in the second period for the victory. 

The Mavericks return to North Central Conference action next week, visiting Minnesota State Friday night. 

Full results:

165: Ross Taplin, UNO (29-9) dec. Taylor May, UNK (12-14), 3-3 (Taplin Wins on Riding Time) 
UNO 3, UNK 0 
First Period: No scoring. 
Second Period: May up; Taplin 1E 1:55 
Third Period: Taplin up; May 1E 1:49 
Overtime: No scoring. Tiebreaker 1: Taplin up; May 1E :21. Tiebreaker 2: May up; Taplin 1E :22. Tiebreaker 3: Neutral; No scoring. Tiebreaker 4: Taplin down; Taplin 1E :28. Tiebreaker 5: Taplin up; May 1E :23; Taplin :06 RT. 

174: J.D. Naig, UNO (35-7) major dec. Dan Hospodka, UNK (18-13), 9-1 UNO 7, UNK 0 
First Period: Naig 2TD :43. 
Second Period: Hospodka up; Naig 2R :37. 
Third Period: Naig up; Hospodka 1E 1:08; Naig 2TD :43; Naig 2NF :36; Naig 1:20 RT. 

184: Matt Farrell, UNK (25-3) dec. Austin Boehm, UNO (21-12), 7-2 UNO 7, UNK 3 
First Period: Farrell 2TD 2:33; Boehm 1E 2:13. 
Second Period: Boehm down; Boehm 1E 1:21; Farrell 2TD 1:02; Farrell 2NF :32. 
Third Period: Farrell down; Farrell 1E 1:50. 

197: Jacob Marrs, UNO (31-5) dec. Kelsey Empting , UNK (21-12), 3-0 UNO 10, UNK 3 
First Period: Marrs 1P 2:39. 
Second Period: Marrs down; Marrs 1E 1:48. 
Third Period: Empting down; Marrs 1:47 RT. 

285: Tervel Dlagnev, UNK (40-1) dec. Tony Lewis, UNO (26-14), 11-5 UNO 10, UNK 6 
First Period: Dlagnev 2TD 2:43; Lewis 1E 2:39. 
Second Period: Dlagnev down; Dlagnev 1E 1:52; Dlagnev 2TD :42; Lewis 1E :39. 
Third Period: Lewis down; Lewis 1E 1:59; Dlagnev 2TD 1:13; Lewis 1E 1:08; Dlagnev 2TD :18; Lewis 1E :15; Dlagnev 2TD :01. 

125: Trevor Charbonneau, UNK (21-8) dec. Jimmy Ball, UNO (3-6), 9-4 UNO 10, UNK 9 
First Period: Charbonneau 2TD 2:42; Charbonneau 3NF 1:43; Ball 1E 1:38. 
Second Period: Charbonneau down; Charbonneau 1E 1:58. 
Third Period: Ball down; Ball 1E 1:55; Ball 1E :06; Charbonneau 2TD :04; Charbonneau 1:07 RT. 

133: Brett Allgood, UNK (20-5) dec. Jeff Rau, UNO (15-16), 12-11 UNK 12, UNO 10 
First Period: Allgood 2TD 2:39, Rau 1E 2:35; Allgood 2TD 2:14; Rau 1E 2:07; Allgood 2TD 1:57; Rau 1E 1:51; Allgood 2TD 1:20; Rau 1E 1:14; Allgood 2TD :15. 
Second Period: Rau down; Rau 1E 1:59; Rau 2TD 1:23; Rau 3NF :50; Allgood 1E :06. 
Third Period: Allgood down; Allgood 1E :55; Rau 1:44 RT. 

141: Sim Bribieseca, UNO (20-9) dec. Jeff Rutledge, UNK (17-13), 3-1 UNO 13, UNK 12 
First Period: No scoring. 
Second Period: Rutledge down; Rutledge 1E 1:45. 
Third Period: Bribieseca down; Bribieseca 1E 1:59. 
Overtime: No scoring. Tiebreaker 1: Rutledge down; No scoring. Tiebreaker 2: Bribieseca down; No scoring; Tiebreaker 3: Neutral; Bribieseca 2TD :34. 

149: Todd Meneely, UNO (27-2) dec. Matt True, UNK (18-7), 8-4 UNO 16, UNK 12 
First Period: No scoring. 
Second Period: Meneely down; Meneely 1E 1:50. 
Third Period: True down; True 1E 1:59; Meneely 2TD 1:46; True 1E 1:38; Meneely 2TD 1:05; True 1E :56; Meneely 2TD :35; True 1E :33; Meneely 1P :15. 

157: Joe Ellenberger, UNK (35-8) pinned Henry Wahle, UNO (14-13), 4:59 UNK 18, UNK 16 
First Period: Ellenberger 2TD 1:48; Ellenberger 3NF 1:30; Wahle 1E :01. 
Second Period: Wahle down; Wahle 1E 1:51; Ellenberger 2TD :30; Ellenberger fall :01 

Attendance: 1,500