Upper Iowa won six of the ten matches in their dual with Minnesota State University Moorhead on Friday night to remain undefeated in the Northern Sun Conference. After the 19-13 victory, UIU stands at 7-2 overall and 3-0 in the NSIC, while the Dragons fell to 3-5 overall and 0-1 in the conference. UIU posted the victory thanks to a pair of sudden victories at 125 and 165 pounds and a 17-12 advantage in takedowns.
 
Maleek Williams opened the dual with an 11-9 sudden victory at 125 pounds to give UIU an early 3-0 lead. Williams led 4-2 midway through the second period, but Jared Goldsmith paired an escape, a takedown and two nearfall points to open up a 7-4 lead. UIU's redshirt sophomore scored a reversal to end the second period and added an escape and takedown early in the third to get ahead 9-7. A late reversal from Goldsmith tied the match, but Williams sealed the win with a takedown in the first sudden victory period.
 
The Dragons bounced back behind a 9-4 win at 133 pounds as Blake Bosch (#6) scored three takedowns and a 7-3 win at 141 pounds as Kristian Vazquez picked up a pair of third-period takedowns to break a 2-2 tie with UIU's Jordan Roths.
 
Damian Penichet (#12), pictured above courtesy of Breana Orlando of MSU Moorhead, took the mat for the 149 pound match and gave UIU the lead again with a dominating 13-0 major decision. The redshirt sophomore posted three takedowns and a four-point nearfall to highlight his bonus-point victory.
 
UIU pushed their lead to 13-6 with a win at 157 pounds as Zak Benitz scored three takedowns to earn an 8-3 decision and at 165 pounds where Nick Georgean outlasted his opponent with a takedown in the first sudden victory period to earn the 4-2 win.
 
After MSU Moorhead picked up a 5-4 decision in the 174 pound match the gap narrowed to 13-9 with three bouts to go.  Dalton Westerlund lost 5-4 in the 174-pound match when his opponent escaped just seconds shy of a ride time point for the Peacock grappler.
 
Upper Iowa sealed the dual with a pair of wins at 184 and 197 pounds. Nick Baumler, fueled by a pair of first-period takedowns, got his first NSIC win 8-3 at 184 pounds, while Ryan Parmely scored an early takedown in the first frame and then outlasted his opponent for a 4-1 win.
 
Leading 19-9, the Peacocks sent 197-pounder Triston Westerlund to the mat for the heavyweight match; Westerlund was defeated 12-1 to set the final margin at six points, 19-13.
 
Upper Iowa has a pair of duals next week against Northern Sun competition. The Peacocks will take on the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs in Marshall, Minn. on Friday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. and then return home to battle the #7 Northern State University Wolves on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. in Fayette.
 
Upper Iowa 19 – MSU Moorhead 13
125: Maleek Williams (UIU) def. Jared Goldsmith (MSUM) (SV-1 11-9)
133: #6 Blake Bosch (MSUM) def. Lincoln Monroe (UIU) (Dec 9-4)
141: Kristian Vazquez (MSUM) def. Jordan Roths (UIU) (Dec 7-3)
149: #12 Damian Penichet (UIU) def. Dylan Connell (MSUM) (MD 13-0)
157: Zak Benitz (UIU) def. Isaac Novacek (MSUM) (Dec 8-3)
165: Nick Georgean (UIU) def. Brayden Kuntz (MSUM) (SV-1 4-2)
174: Adam Blees (MSUM) def. Dalton Westerlund (UIU) (Dec 5-4)
184: Nick Baumler (UIU) def. Logan Rhode (MSUM) (Dec 8-3)
197: Ryan Parmely (UIU) def. Cody Anderson (MSUM) (Dec 4-1)
285: Nader Abdullatif (MSUM) def. Triston Westerlund (UIU) (MD 12-1)