The Peacock wrestling team was back in Dorman Gym on Friday night taking on the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University in a Northern Sun Conference dual.  Upper Iowa, ranked #8 in the latest NWCA Top 20 Poll, won eight of the ten matches including four with bonus points to post a 33-9 victory.  With the win, UIU improves to 12-1 overall and 5-0 in the NSIC.  SMSU drops to 6-8 overall and 2-2 in conference duals. The Peacocks celebrated Salute to Service night on Friday taking time to recognize current members and veterans of the military, police, fire and paramedics prior to the start of the dual.
 
Lincoln Monroe got the dual started at 125 pounds with a 15-0 technical fall thanks to a pair of takedowns, two four-point nearfalls and a two-point nearfall to end the match in the second period.  Mitch Funk followed with a first period pin at 133 pounds.  Funk scored an early takedown and picked up a pair of four-point nearfalls prior to getting the fall.  With an 11-0 lead, UIU sent Jordan Roths to the mat for the 141 pound match; Roths, fueled by a first period takedown and a second period, four-point nearfalll, earned a 7-1 win.
 
Damian Penichet earned a hard-fought 4-0 decision at 149 pounds before Jordan Rinken scored a 12-1 major decision at 157 pounds after scoring a pair of takedowns, a reversal and a four-point nearfall.  Zak Benitz, ranked #5 nationally, had his hands full with SMSU's Kegen Fingalsen, but still came away with a 4-2 decision to give Upper Iowa a 24-0 lead.
 
SMSU earned their first win of the night at 174 pounds when Kyle Begin took an early lead and held on for a wild 10-8 decision.  Begin scored on a pair of takedowns, a reversal and two escapes, while Vance scored his points on three reversals and a takedown.
 
Upper Iowa returned to the win column at 184 pounds when Dalton Westerlund scored a 5-2 decision.  Ryan Parmely was the final Peacock to score using a power throw to score a takedown prior to completing the match with a pin midway through the second period. 
 
Cole Wilson ended the dual on a positive note for the Mustangs.  The reigning NSIC Wrestler of the Week pinned Avery Jacobs in 44 seconds to set the final score at 33-9.
 
UIU will host the #15 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato on Saturday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. for Alumni Night.
 
#8 Upper Iowa 33 – Southwest Minnesota State 9
125: Lincoln Monroe (UPIO) over Taylor Curtis (SMS) (TF 15-0 4:15)
133: Mitch Funk (UPIO) over Antonio Meikel (SMS) (Fall 2:24)
141: Jordan Roths (UPIO) over Cortez Arredondo (SMS) (Dec 7-1)
149: Damian Penichet (UPIO) over Zachary Beaumaster (SMS) (Dec 4-0)
157: Jordan Rinken (UPIO) over Patrick Kelley (SMS) (MD 12-1)
165: Zak Benitz (UPIO) over Kegen Fingalsen (SMS) (Dec 4-2)
174: Kyle Begin (SMS) over Colbey Vance (UPIO) (Dec 10-8)
184: Dalton Westerlund (UPIO) over Broderick Goens (SMS) (Dec 5-2)
197: Ryan Parmely (UPIO) over Ashton Bartlett (SMS) (Fall 4:14)
285: Cole Wilson (SMS) over Avery Jacobs (UPIO) (Fall 0:44)