Steve Edwards' pin at 174 lbs. broke open a three-point match, and propelled the fourth-ranked and fifth-seeded-Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers to a 22-16 victory over 14^th-ranked Fort Hays State (KS) University in Friday's First Round of the 2019 NWCA National Wrestling Duals in Louisville, Kentucky.  The Mountain Cats made it 16 straight dual meet victories and improved to 9-0.
 
Pitt-Johnstown advances to the Quarterfinals to take on fourth-seeded Nebraska-Kearney at 1 p.m.  Nebraska-Kearney defeated the University of Indianapolis, 35-6, in the opening round.
 
Brendan Howard ran out to an early 8-2 lead and defeated Broderick Green, 13-3, to get the Mountain Cats started at 125 lbs., but Fort Hays State followed with a 3-2 win by Riley Tubbs  over Matt Siszka to cut it to 4-3.
 
In a battle of the second and third-ranked wrestlers in the country at 141 lbs., No. 2 Brandon Ball held of Pitt-Johnstown's third-ranked Joey Alessandro, 4-3, to give the Tigers a 6-4 lead.
 
The Mountain Cats quickly regained the lead with top-ranked Chris Eddins 17-2 technical fall at 5:44 over Ryne Cokeley at 149, before Fort Hays State's fourth-ranked Efe Osaghae slipped past Corey Falleroni, 5-2, at 157 lbs. to knot it at nine.
 
Ninth-ranked Devin Austin's 10-4 decision over Aryus Jones at 165 lbs. put Pitt-Johnstown back on top and Edwards' fall over Nick Meck at 5:08 in the 174-lb. bout broke it open and gave the Mountain Cats an 18-9 advantage.
 
Seventh-ranked Brock Biddle then dealt Micquille Robinson a 16-4 major decision loss that increased Pitt-Johnstown's lead to 22-12, before Fort Hays State won the final two bouts to set the final at 22-16.