Upper Iowa's wrestling team got their Northern Sun Conference season started on the right foot on Friday night in Bismarck, N.D.  The Peacocks won eight of the ten matches in their dual at the University of Mary including one by fall, two by technical fall and four by major decision to post a 35-9 win over the Marauders.  The win improved UIU's dual record to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC, while U-Mary falls to 2-6 overall and 0-2 in the conference.  UIU is now 10-0 all-time against U-Mary.
 
Garrett Wangsness got the Peacocks going with a pin early in the second period of the 125-pound match.  Wangsness was leading 4-0 at the time of the pin after a pair of takedowns.  Mitch Funk (pictured above courtesy of Mo Schroeder) kept UIU on the winning track with a 7-6 victory at 133 pounds; the redshirt senior scored a pair of takedowns and two escapes while building enough time on top to get the win thanks to a riding time point that broke the tie.
 
Trailing 9-0, the Marauders turned to Rudy Guillen at 141 pounds.  Guillen defeated Jordan Roths by decision 9-2 highlighted by four takedowns.
 
Damian Penichet put points back in Upper Iowa's column following his match at 149 pounds.  The redshirt freshman led 6-1 after the first period thanks to a pair of takedowns and a two-point nearfall.  Penichet continued to dominate the match and poured it on in the third period with two four-point nearfalls to earn the 18-2 (6:35) technical fall victory.
 
Jordan Rinken made his first appearance on the mats this year posting a 17-5 major decision win at 157 pounds.  Rinken tallied three separate takedowns and nearfalls to gain his big advantage giving the Peacocks an 18-3 lead.  Rinken's big win foreshadowed the next four matches as the UIU grapplers dominated the matches at 165, 174, 184 and 197 by a combined score of 50-4.  Zak Benitz (165) and Colbey Vance (174) each scored three takedowns to claim 11-2 and 8-0 major decisions, respectively. 

Dalton Westerlund picked up a 12-1 win at 184 pounds fueled by a pair of takedowns, a four-point nearfall and a two-point nearfall.  Ryan Parmely made his collegiate wrestling debut in the 197 pound match and dominated his opponent to the tune of a 19-1 (3:39) technical fall. The Maquoketa Valley alum claimed three takedowns and then grew his lead with three different four-point nearfalls.
 
U-Mary got a win by fall in the final match of the night as Travis Smith pinned Maurice Wilburn III (4:28) as the former 197-pounder moved up a weight to take on the Marauder heavyweight.
 
The UIU wrestlers grabbed advantages in nearfalls, 12-2, and takedowns, 21-7, to fuel their victory.
 
Upper Iowa will have to get right back to the line tomorrow in Minot, N.D. where they will face the Beavers of Minot State University at 2 p.m.
 
Upper Iowa 35 – U-Mary 9
125: Garrett Wangsness (UPIO) over Josh Jensen (MARY) (Fall 3:38)
133: Mitch Funk (UPIO) over Tate Barnhardt (MARY) (Dec 7-6)
141: Rudy Guillen (MARY) over Jordan Roths (UPIO) (Dec 9-2)
149: Damian Penichet (UPIO) over Reed Cronin (MARY) (TF 18-2 6:35)
157: Jordan Rinken (UPIO) over Dane Fischer (MARY) (MD 17-5)
165: Zak Benitz (UPIO) over Paul Michaelson (MARY) (MD 11-2)
174: Colbey Vance (UPIO) over Riley Nagel (MARY) (MD 8-0)
184: Dalton Westerlund (UPIO) over Jonathan Pelach (MARY) (MD 12-1)
197: Ryan Parmely (UPIO) over Jacob Green (MARY) (TF 19-1 3:39)
285: Travis Smith (MARY) over Maurice Wilburn (UPIO) (Fall 4:28)