CLEVELAND, Ohio – Snapping a six-match losing streak, the West Virginia University wrestling team posted a 1-1 showing in the final day of the South Beach Duals on Sunday, held at the Broward County Convention Center, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The Mountaineers (2-7, 2-1 Big 12) picked up a 19-17 victory over No. 20 North Dakota State (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) before dropping a 23-20 match to No. 13 Purdue (3-4, 0-1 Big Ten).
 
Of note, West Virginia has defeated Big 12 foe North Dakota State for the second consecutive year to hold a 2-0 lead in the all-time series.
 
Redshirt senior Christian Monserrat, junior Brandon Ngati, redshirt sophomore Matthew Schmitt and sophomore Nick Kiussis each posted a 2-0 record on the day. Monserrat, Schmitt and Kiussis also went undefeated at the South Beach Duals on Saturday to go 4-0 on the weekend. Schmitt improved to 10-0 on the season, while Monserrat remains undefeated in dual action with a 9-0 mark.
 
"We wrestled a lot tougher today," first-year coach Tim Flynn said. "I'm proud of the way we wrestled. We won some really gritty matches. We continue to improve, and I believe we are moving in the right direction."
 
The Mountaineers started their day against the Bison, winning three of the first four matches for a 9-2 advantage. NDSU's Paul Bianchi put the Bison on the board first, but Schmitt picked up an 8-4 decision over No. 19 Cam Sykora in the next bout to knot the team score at 3-3. With the win, Schmitt topped his second ranked opponent of the weekend at 133 pounds. NDSU was then called for unsportsmanlike conduct during the 141-pound match, costing the Bison a team point to put the score at 3-2 in favor of WVU. True freshman Luke Martin recorded his first victory of the weekend with a 5-4 decision over Taylor Nein, while Monserrat increased the Mountaineers' lead to seven with a 5-3 decision over Jaden VanMaanen at 149 pounds.
 
Redshirt junior Zachary Moore dropped a 6-1 decision at 157 pounds, but Kiussis struck back with an 11-3 major decision over No. 17 Andrew Fogarty to push the Mountaineers' advantage back to eight at 13-5. However, West Virginia forfeited its matches at 174 and 184 pounds, respectively, as the Bison took a 17-13 lead in the match with two bouts remaining. Redshirt freshman Noah Adams brought the Mountaineers within one after a 5-2 decision over Cordell Eaton at 197 pounds. Trailing 17-16 in the match, Ngati answered the call for the Mountaineers, grinding out a hard-fought 8-7 decision in the heavyweight bout to hand West Virginia the 19-17 team victory over No. 20 North Dakota State.
 
In West Virginia's final match of the day, Schmitt was the first to put the Mountaineers on the board, as he scored his second technical fall of the season over Purdue's Bjorn Schroeder at 133 pounds. The Boilermakers regained the lead with a 15-4 major decision at 141 pounds before Monserrat picked up a 10-3 decision over Parker Filius to tie the team score at 8-8. At 157 pounds, Moore pinned Austin Nash in 2:07 to put the score back in the Mountaineers' favor at 14-8.
 
Kiussis then used a takedown in sudden victory to claim a 10-8 decision over Cole Wysocki at 165 pounds to increase the Mountaineers' lead to nine at 17-8. However, West Virginia forfeited its matches at 174 and 184 pounds, respectively, as the Boilermakers took a 20-17 lead in the match with two bouts remaining. Adams dropped a 9-7 decision to No. 9 Christian Brunner at 197 pounds to put the Mountaineers down six. Ngati capped the match with a win by decision in the heavyweight bout, but it wasn't enough, as West Virginia suffered a 23-20 setback to No. 13 Purdue.
 
Looking ahead, the Mountaineers start the new year with a Big 12 road match against Oklahoma, on Jan. 4, at 7:30 p.m. ET. WVU will meet OU for the 10th time in program history, as the Mountaineers upset the Sooners, 24-12, last season at the WVU Coliseum, their first win over Oklahoma since 1986.
 
West Virginia 19, No. 20 North Dakota State 17
125: Paul Bianchi (NDSU) dec. Joey Thomas (WVU), 7-3
133: No. 14/-/- Matthew Schmitt (WVU) dec. No. 15/16/19 Cam Sykora (NDSU), 8-4
141: Luke Martin (WVU) dec. Taylor Nein (NDSU), 5-4
149: Christian Monserrat (WVU) dec. Jaden VanMaanen (NDSU), 5-3
157: Nick Knutson (NDSU) dec. Zachary Moore (WVU), 6-1
165: Nick Kiussis (WVU) major dec. No. 17/17/17 Andrew Fogarty (NDSU), 11-3
174: Jesse Shearer (NDSU) wins by forfeit
184: Michael Otomo (NDSU) wins by forfeit
197: Noah Adams (WVU) dec. Cordell Eaton (NDSU), 5-2
HWT: Brandon Ngati (WVU) dec. Brandon Metz (NDSU), 8-7
 
Rankings are listed as follows: The Open Mat/FloWrestling/Intermat
 
No. 13 Purdue 23, West Virginia 20
125: No. 16/16/18 Devin Schroder (PU) major dec. Joey Thomas (WVU), 11-3
133: No. 14/-/- Matthew Schmitt (WVU) tech. fall Bjorn Schroeder (PU), 20-4 [TF – 5:00]
141: Nate Limmex (PU) major dec. Luke Martin (WVU), 15-4
149: Christian Monserrat (WVU) dec. Parker Filius (PU), 10-3
157: Zachary Moore (WVU) wins by fall Austin Nash (PU), F 2:07
165: Nick Kiussis (WVU) dec. Cole Wysocki (PU), 10-8 [SV-1]
174: No. 10/13/13 Dylan Lydy (PU) wins by forfeit
184: Max Lyon (PU) wins by forfeit
197: No. 11/10/9 Christian Brunner (PU) dec. Noah Adams (WVU), 9-7
HWT: Brandon Ngati (WVU) dec. Jacob Aven (PU), 6-5
 
Rankings are listed as follows: The Open Mat/FloWrestling/Intermat
 
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