MOORHEAD, Minn. -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead wrestling team was tied with No. 10-ranked Minnesota State, Mankato after four matches, but the Mavericks won four of the next five matches on their way to a 24-19 win over the Dragons in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference dual Thursday night in Moorhead, Minn.

MSUM fell to 8-4 overall and 3-2 in the NSIC with the loss, while Minnesota State improved to 8-2 overall and 5-0 in the league.

The Dragons got a pin from junior Casey Williams at 149 pounds, and also got a win by major decision from sophomore Gerad Fugleberg at 285 pounds and a decision win by junior Angel Vega at 141. MSUM also won by injury default at 184.

"It was kind of a roller coast ride tonight -- a lot of highs and a lot of lows," MSUM head coach Kris Nelson said.

Mankato's David Demo pinned Mitch Dunlap at 125 pounds in 2:30 to give the Mavericks a 6-0 lead.

At 133, Walker and Alphonso Vruno were locked in a hard-fought match that was tied at 3-3 after one period. In the second period, the score stayed deadlocked at 3-3. However, a third-period escape proved to be the difference as Vruno edged Walker for a 4-3 win to improve to 26-5 on the year.

"We got the first takedown. Philippe wrestled hard," Nelson said. "That was a match that could have went either way."

Vega got the Dragons on the board at 141 with a strong 10-3 win over Mankato's Nathan Hennes to cut the Maverick lead to 9-3. Vega led the entire way and picked up his team-best 20th win in the process. Vega is the first Dragon to reach the 20-win plateau on the year.

"Vega did a great job," Nelson said. "That was his 20th win on the year. He is continuing to wrestle strong."

At 149 pounds, Williams then tied the dual at 9-9 with a win by fall over Maverick Jerermy Kelly in 4:37. Williams is now 15-4 on the year.

"Casey's a grinder," Nelson said. "He's a guy that comes into the room every day and gives 100 percent no matter what. He just gets the job done. He's a wrestler every kid would like to have in the room."

Mankato then won a seesaw match at 157 pounds, as redshirt freshman Sawyer Hoffman outlasted senior Jacob Bennett in a 7-5 overtime thriller. Bennett led 5-3 late before Hoffman got a reversal to tie the match late in the third period.

"He's got to be smarter on top and know to give up the escape instead of the reversal," Nelson said.

The Mavericks' Cody Quinn, ranked No. 3 in the nation at 165 pounds, pinned Dragon senior Kerron Williams in 1:27 to stretch the Mankato lead to 18-9.

Mankato's Brendan Eichmann, ranked No. 4 in the nation, outlasted Dragon redshirt freshman Jesse Puncochar, 8-2 at 174 pounds as the Dragons extended their dual lead to 21-9.

At 184 pounds, Dragon redshirt freshman Lucas Moderow prevailed when Mankato's Aaron Norgren was injured in the second period to bring MSUM within 21-15 in the dual with two weights left.

However, Minnesota State's Nathan Haynes put the match out of reach for the Mavericks with a 6-1 decision win over Dragon junior Matt Lewellen to give them a 24-15 lead.

"We were wrestling a good match until the penalty point. after the penalty point, got Matt a little flustered," Nelson said. "Haynes is long and has a lot of height and length on Matt.  That length helped him out against Matt. I thought it was one we should have won tonight and we let it get away from us. Matt can wrestle a better match."

Sophomore Gerad Fugleberg ended the match on a strong note for MSUM, dominating Mankato's Corby Running for a 12-1 major decision win. Fugleberg had a near-fall in the first period and was never threatened the rest of the way. Fugleberg is now 14-12 on the year.

"Gerad wrestled aggressive. That's a good win for Gerad," Nelson said. "He wrestled down and not to his ability against Minot State. This is a good win for him going into the Upper Iowa match.

MSUM hosts No. 6-ranked Upper Iowa for Senior Day on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Alex Nemzek Hall.

"These are the type of teams we want to not only compete with, but be able to wrestle for the win," Nelson said.

Minnesota State, Mankato 24, MSU Moorhead 19
125-David Demo (MSU) pinned Mitch Dunlap (MSUM), 2:31
133-Alphonso Vruno (MSU) dec. Philippe Walker (MSUM), 4-3
141-Angel Vega (MSUM) dec. Nathan Hennes (MSU), 10-3
149-Casey Williams (MSUM) pinned Jeremy Kelly (MSU), 4:37
157-Sawyer Hoffman (MSU) dec. Jacob Bennett (MSUM), 7-5, OT
165-Cody Quinn (MSU) pinned Kerron Williams (MSUM), 1:27
174-Brendan Eichmann (MSU) dec. Jesse Puncochar (MSUM), 8-2
184-Lucas Moderow (MSUM) def. Aaron Norgren (MSU), injury default, 3:21
197-Nathan Haynes (MSU) dec. Matt Lewellen (MSUM), 6-1
Hwt.-Gerad Fugleberg (MSUM) maj. dec. Corby Running, 12-1