No. 6 Upper Iowa improved to 8-3 overall and 4-1 in the Northern Sun Conference with a 25-13 victory over Southwest Minnesota State to close out their third straight dual in Dorman Gym this month. The Peacocks won six of the ten bouts including three bonus-point wins thanks to a pair of falls and a major. UIU recorded a 16-7 advantage in takedowns, while SMSU battled back with a 5-1 advantage in nearfalls.
 
UIU honored their three seniors, Nick Georgean, Josh Walker and Logan Hopp prior to the match. The trio has combined for 173 wins in varsity singlets for the Peacocks.
 
Maleek Williams (No. 6) scored a takedown midway through the first period of the 125-pound bout and rode SMSU's Taylor Curtis out. Each wrestler scored an escape before Williams added a takedown in the third to secure the victory, 6-1.
 
Josh Walker (No. 6) picked up two takedowns in the first period against Brock Buysee took a 4-2 lead into the final period. The senior opened the final period with an escape and then scored three takedowns and a ride time point to earn the major decision, 12-4.
 
The Mustangs bounced back with a major decision of their own at 141 pounds. SMSU's Trent Butcher scored two takedowns against redshirt freshman Aaron Baker and six nearfall points in the opening period to grab a 10-1 lead. Butcher would go on to win 14-3 to get the Mustangs within three, 7-4.
 
At 149 pounds, UIU's Damian Penichet earned a first-period takedown and rode out his 2-0 lead heading to the second period over Zach Beaumaster. In the second, Penichet caught the Mustang wrestler off his feet and earned a fall at 3:36 pushing the Peacock lead to 13-4.
 
Redshirt freshman Mac Spotts got the nod at 157 pounds for the Peacocks. Spotts trailed Cortez Arredondo 1-0 after two periods. Spotts scored an escape late in the third period, but was unable to score the takedown to make up for a ride time point earned by the SMSU wrestler for a 2-1 win.
 
SMSU made it two straight wins when Kegen Fingalsen. After falling behind 2-0, UIU's Cody Nelson got a pair of escapes to tie the bout, but Fingalsen scored a takedown and four nearfall points in the second to take an 8-3 lead into the third. Nelson got a takedown, a penalty point and a ride time point in the third, but came up a point shy, 8-7.
 
Jordan Gundrum looked to be in trouble early in the 174-pound match, but a big reversal after giving up six points to SMSU's Griffin Osing led to UIU's second fall of the night at 1:28. The big swing pushed the Peacock lead to 19-10 with three matches to go.
 
The Mustangs scored the final win of the night at 184 pounds when Cole Hennen picked up a quick six points on freshman Dalton Hahn on a takedown and four nearfall points. The Mustang grappler earned an 8-2 decision to pull the visitors within six, 19-13.
 
Nick Baumler ensured a Peacock victory at 197 with a 10-3 decision over Jackson Ryan. The sophomore used a takedown in each period and added two nearfall points to earn the win and improve to 26-7 on the season.
 
Redshirt sophomore Triston Westerlund toed the line in the heavyweight match and moved to 22-10 with a 6-2 decision over Ben Thompson. Westerlund controlled the action using takedowns in the first and second periods to pave the way for the win.
 
Upper Iowa heads on the road next week to Aberdeen, S.D. to match up with the Wolves of Northern State University on Friday, Feb. 2 with start time scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
No. 6 Upper Iowa 25 – Southwest Minnesota State 13
125: Maleek Williams (UIU) over Taylor Curtis (SMSU) (Dec 6-1)
133: Josh Walker (UIU) over Brock Buysse (SMSU) (MD 12-4)
141: Trent Butcher (SMSU) over Aaron Baker Jr (UIU) (MD 16-3)
149: Damian Penichet (UIU) over Zachary Beaumaster (SMSU) (Fall 3:36)
157: Cortez Arredondo (SMSU) over Mac Spotts (UIU) (Dec 2-1)
165: Kegen Fingalsen (SMSU) over Cody Nelson (UIU) (Dec 8-7)
174: Jordan Gundrum (UIU) over Griffin Osing (SMSU) (Fall 1:28)
184: Cole Hennen (SMSU) over Dalton Hahn (UIU) (Dec 8-2)
197: Nick Baumler (UIU) over Jackson Ryan (SMSU) (Dec 10-3)
285: Triston Westerlund (UIU) over Ben Thompson (SMSU) (Dec 6-2)