Upper Iowa rallied from a four-point deficit to score an 18-15 victory on the road over Minnesota State University Moorhead to improve to 6-4 overall and 3-1 in the Northern Sun. The Peacocks are ranked No. 19 in the latest NCAA DII Wrestling Coaches Association Top 25, while the Dragons were receiving votes in the poll. UIU and MSUM each won five matches, but the Peacocks earned three extra bonus points thanks to three major decisions.
The home team opened the dual with a wild 12-9 decision at 125 pounds when Cole Jones (No. 7) outlasted
Maleek Williams to give the Dragons a 3-0 lead. Williams held an early 5-2 advantage, but Jones scored an escape, takedown and two-point nearfall to secure the win.
At 133 pounds,
Justin Folley put the Peacocks back in front 4-3 with a 14-5 major decision over Seth Hutchison. The Peacock junior posted five takedowns and a two-point nearfall to fuel his win.
Mason Schulz defeated
Wilson Metellus 8-5 at 141 pounds to push the Dragons back in front 6-4, but freshman
Ryan Steffen posted a 9-1 major at 149 pounds against Dylan Connell. Steffen recorded four takedowns in the dominant performance.
Braydon Ortloff and
Tucker Black locked up in a tight battle at 157 pounds. Black led 4-2 early, but Ortloff rallied to tie the bout at 5-5 and ten took the match in sudden victory with a takedown 7-5 giving MSUM a 9-7 lead.
The lead continued to bounce back and forth thanks to a 10-5 decision by
Brock Benitz (No. 8) over Justin Dravis. Benitz's win was highlighted by a pair of reversals in the third period.
Trailing 10-9, the Dragons won the next two matches at 174 and 184 pounds to take a 15-10 lead. Adam Blees edged
Jordan Gundrum 5-3, while Evan Foster got past
Dalton Hahn (No. 10) 8-6.
Nick Baumler's (No. 9) 14-5 major decision over Mitchell Kotschevar tied the dual at 15-15 and was fueled by six takedowns.
Triston Westerlund closed out the dual and gave Upper Iowa the win with a 3-1 decision over Jordan Magnuson thanks to a second period takedown.
Upper Iowa will head to Sioux Falls, S.D. on Sunday to line up against Augustana University at 2 p.m.
No. 19 Upper Iowa 18 - MSU Moorhead 15
125: Cole Jones (MSUM) over Maleek Williams (UIU) (Dec 12-9)
133: Justin Folley (UIU) over Seth Hutchison (MSUM) (MD 14-5)
141: Mason Schulz (MSUM) over Wilson Metellus (UIU) (Dec 8-5)
149: Ryan Steffen (UIU) over Dylan Connell (MSUM) (MD 9-1)
157: Braydon Ortloff (MSUM) over Tucker Black (UIU) (SV-1 7-5)
165: Brock Benitz (UIU) over Justin Dravis (MSUM) (Dec 10-5)
174: Adam Blees (MSUM) over Jordan Gundrum (UIU) (Dec 5-3)
184: Evan Foster (MSUM) over Dalton Hahn (UIU) (Dec 8-6)
197: Nick Baumler (UIU) over Mitchell Kotschevar (MSUM) (MD 14-5)
285: Triston Westerlund (UIU) over Jordan Magnuson (MSUM) (Dec 3-1)
