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Jake Blowers

BUFFALO, NY - Losing 16-9 to Kent State going into the final two matches, it seemed like the University at Buffalo was preparing for another tough Mid-American Conference loss at Alumni Arena on Friday night.

However, a pin by sophomore Jake Blowers (Johnstown, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) and a decision by freshman Nate Rock (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata) helped Buffalo score nine points and lift itself to a 18-16 win, its first MAC win in a meet that featured five one-point decisions.

Nate Rock

The win snapped a series of hard-luck MAC meets for the Bulls (2-10 overall, 1-4 MAC), who lost to Northern Illinois, 20-15, on Jan. 8, to Ohio, 20-13, on Jan. 30 and to Eastern Michigan, 20-19, on Feb. 5 in meets that all came down to the final meet.

Kent State (7-13 overall, 1-2 MAC) earned the first three points, as Alex Camargo, ranked 18th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Intermat poll at 184 pounds, earned an escape in the second overtime period to defeat junior Garrett Hicks (Chautauqua, NY/Chautauqua Lake).

Junior Harold Sherrell (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) (197 pounds) earned a 3-2 decision in the next match to tie the meet at 3-3. His opponent, Nick Hiller, nearly scored a takedown as time expired, but Sherrell managed to go out of bounds before points were awarded.

After 11th-ranked Tomas Rodriguez earned a major decision in the heavyweight bout, 20th-ranked sophomore Mark McKnight (McDonald, PA/South Fayette) (125 pounds) posted a 6-2 decision against Drew Opfer. McKnight is 24-12 this year and 4-1 in the MAC.

Mark Budd

The next two matches were split with each being decided in the final 10 seconds, as sophomore Mark Budd (Orrville, OH/Orrville) (133 pounds) scored a takedown with three seconds left to beat Mike Compton, 9-8. Budd, 20-14 overall, is now 4-1 in the MAC. Freshman Dana Gingerich (Spring Grove, PA/DeLone Catholic) (141 pounds) wasn't as lucky in his match, as Jason McGee finished a three-point flurry by earning a takedown with four seconds remaining to earn a 10-9 decision and give Kent State a 10-9 lead.

The Golden Flashes also picked up the next two matches to take a 16-9 lead heading into the 165-pound match, but Blowers earned a takedown 1:40 into the opening period and 23 seconds later got Nick Brenner's right shoulder to touch the mat to earn his fifth pin of the season and bring Buffalo within one at 16-15.

Blowers, a third-year sophomore, entered this season never having wrestled in a dual meet and having carried a 4-4 career record. This season, the 165-pounder plugged a hole in the Bulls' lineup while Rock was out with a strained LCL ligament, and has compiled a 13-13 record and a 2-2 MAC mark.

In the final match, Rock earned a first-period takedown and a third-period reversal against Aaron Miller to help earn a 7-2 decision and clinch the 18-16 win for the Bulls. Rock, 10-16 overall, earned his first dual meet win in the match, his first match since Jan. 14 against Cal. State-Bakersfield.

Buffalo wraps up its dual meet season on Thursday as it hosts a meet for just the third time this season, hosting Slippery Rock at 7:00 pm.

Match-By-Match Results
184 - #18 Alex Camargo dec. Garrett Hicks (UB), 3-2 (OT)
197 - Harold Sherrell (UB) dec. Nick Hiller (KSU), 3-2
HWT - #11 Tomas Rodriguez (KSU) maj. dec. Jeff Parker (UB), 9-1
125 - #20 Mark McKnight (UB) dec. Drew Opfer (KSU), 6-2
133 - Mark Budd (UB) dec. Mike Compton (KSU), 9-8
141 - Jason McGee (KSU) dec. Dana Gingerich (UB), 10-9
149 - #16 Jason Bake (KSU) dec. Patrick Lloyd (UB), 5-4
157 - Kurt Gross (KSU) dec. Scott Rendos (UB), 6-2
165 - Jake Blowers (UB) by fall over Nick Brenner (KSU), 2:03
174 - Nate Rock (UB) dec. Aaron Miller (KSU), 7-2