The No. 1 UNO wrestling team was upset by No. 3 St. Cloud State on Friday night, 19-18, after a quick turn of events in the night's final match at the Sapp Fieldhouse.

With UNO leading 18-13 heading into the 133-pound final match, it looked like the Mavs were in position to win, as Trent Cox was in control over St. Cloud State's Eric Ellington. Cox scored an early takedown and an escape to take a 3-0 lead, then rode Ellington for 2:43. But Ellington quickly turned the table, flipping Cox and earning the quick pin at 3:42, giving the Huskies the stunning come-from-behind 19-18 win. 

The loss dropped UNO to 5-1 on the year in duals, and snapped UNO's 13-match win streak. It also marked UNO's first dual loss since Jan. 22, 2010, when Augsburg defeated UNO, 18-12, and first dual loss at home since a 22-15 loss to Northern Iowa on Feb. 21, 2008. 

The Mavs jumped out to a 9-0 lead, thanks to a draw that allowed UNO to throw its three top-ranked wrestlers onto the mat to start the dual.

Top-ranked Mario Morgan got the Mavs on the scoreboard to begin the dual at 141 pounds with a dominating 4-0 victory over the Huskies' Gabe Suarez with more than three minutes of riding time. Morgan improved to 17-4 this year and 6-0 in dual matches in winning his 29th straight dual match.

At 149 pounds, No. 1 Esai Dominguez took a 6-5 lead over No. 4 Jacob D. Horn with a takedown late in the second period, then held off Horn in the third period for the win. Dominguez improved to 25-3 on the season. 

UNO's third top-ranked wrestler, George Ivanov, recorded a takedown with eight seconds left in the match, then released No. 5 John Sundgren for a one-point escape to claim a 7-6 win and give UNO a 9-0 lead. Ivanov recorded three takedowns in the final period to take control of the match. Ivanov is 6-0 in dual matches this season.

Nathan Sigman lost at 165 pounds to No. 2 Tad Merritt, 13-5, a major decision that gave St. Cloud State four team points to get on the board.

Ryan Pankoke got UNO back in business at 174 pounds with a dominating 9-3 victory over No. 7 Shamus O'Grady. Pankoke took control of the match with an early takedown and never looked back, accumulating more than a minute of riding time, as UNO took a 12-4 lead at the halfway point.

No. 3 Aaron Denson kept UNO rolling after the break with a 4-0 win over Mic Berg at 184 pounds. Denson, who amassed more than two minutes of riding time, improved to 21-5 on the season.

At 197 pounds, No. 8 Matt Baker broke a 1-1 tie with a takedown early in the third period and held on for a 3-2 win that gave UNO an 18-4 advantage. 

No. 8 Taylor Escamilla put up a valiant effort at 285 pounds against No. 1 Jacob Kahnke, who entered the night 16-1, but Kahnke held on for the win, 5-3, to make it 18-7 UNO.

The Mavs forfeited at 125 pounds to make it 18-13, setting up the deciding 133-pound match.

The Mavs are back at home again next weekend for a pair of duals against Central Oklahoma (Jan. 28) and Nebraska-Kearney (Jan. 29). Other UNO wrestlers will be in action on Saturday, Jan. 29 at the Grand View Open in Des Moines, Iowa.

Match-By-Match Results:
141 – No. 1 Mario Morgan (UNO) by dec. over Gabe Suarez (SCSU), 4-0 (UNO 3-0)
149 – No. 1 Esai Dominguez (UNO) by dec. over No. 4 Jacob D. Horn (SCSU), 6-5 (UNO 6-0)
157 – No. 1 George Ivanov (UNO) by dec. over No. 5 John Sundgren (SCSU), 7-6 (UNO 9-0)
165 – No. 2 Tad Merritt (SCSU) by major dec. over Nathan Sigman (UNO), 13-5 (UNO 9-4)
174 – No. 3 Ryan Pankoke (UNO) by dec. over No. 7 Shamus O'Grady (SCSU), 9-3 (UNO 12-4)
184 – No. 3 Aaron Denson (UNO) by dec. over Mic Berg (SCSU), 4-0 (UNO 15-4)  
197 – No. 8 Matt Baker (UNO) by dec. over Luke Munkelwitz (SCSU), 3-2 (UNO 18-4)
285 – No. 1 Jacob Kahnke (SCSU) by dec. over No. 8 Taylor Escamilla (UNO), 5-3 (UNO 18-7)
125 – Zach Stewart (SCSU) by forfeit (UNO 18-13)
133 – Eric Ellington (SCSU) by fall over Trent Cox (UNO), 3:42 (SCSU 19-18)