No. 10 Upper Iowa topped the Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead 38-6 in a Northern Sun Conference dual on Sunday afternoon in Fayette. The Peacocks won nine of the ten matches including two by fall and two by major decision. UIU improved to 12-2 on the season and 5-0 in NSIC action, while MSUM dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-4 in the conference.
 
Jared Hensley opened the dual in a big way at 125 pounds with a fall (3:22). The redshirt sophomore used an early takedown, four nearfall points and two and a half minutes of ride time in the first period to wear down Cameron Williams of MSU Moorhead. In the second period, Hensley locked in a takedown and pushed his position into the fall.
 
After Donny Schmit scored a win by forfeit at 133 pounds giving the Peacocks a 12-0 lead, UIU's Tate Murty got on the mat for the 141-pound bout against Mason Schultz. Schultz controlled the first period, but Murty rallied with a takedown and four-point nearfall in the second period and then closed out the match with a takedown and fall at 5:56 pushing the UIU lead to 18-0.
 
The Dragons scored their first points of the dual at 149 pounds when Zachary Scott outlasted Jacob Niichel in a shootout that showed a 10-9 score in favor of Niichel before the final whistle. Scott used a throw and fought hard to get into position to force Niichel's back and shoulders to the mat for a fall (6:46) with just fourteen seconds to go in the action. Niichel scored his 10 points with a pair of reversals, a four-point nearfall and a takedown.
 
Mac Spotts edged Tell Ward at 157 pounds with a 1-0 decision thanks to an escape in the third period to break a scoreless tie. The win pushed Spotts' record to 18-10 on the season.
 
Brock Benitz followed with a 9-1 major decision over Justin Dravis at 165 pounds. Benitz scored two takedowns in the opening period, a reversal in the second and a final takedown and ride time point in the third period to post the eight-point victory.
 
Jamie Gehling picked up an early takedown and then scored an escape in the third period to earn a slim 3-2 decision over Evan Foster at 174 pounds. Both wrestlers came into the match with 6 losses on the season, but Foster held a 16-5 advantage in wins prior to the action.
 
With a 28-6 lead, the Peacocks' Dalton Hahn toed the line at 184 pounds against Mitch Kotschevar. Hahn grabbed a 5-2 lead heading into the second period thanks to a pair of takedowns around a reversal for Kotschevar. Hahn added six more points in the second period with a reversal and a four-point nearfall. In the final frame, Hahn picked up another takedown on the way to a 16-4 major decision.
 
Logan Rhode quieted the home crowd with an early takedown and four nearfall points against UIU's Nick Baumler, ranked No. 2 nationally. Baumler rallied with an escape and takedown as the period wound down to cut the deficit to 7-3. The West Union product opened the second period with an escape, two takedowns and a stall point to take a 9-8 lead midway through the second frame. A takedown to end the second and two more in the third for Baumler pushed the senior's lead to 15-11. A final ride time point earned a 16-11 win. After the initial flurry from Rhode, all his points came after Baumler cut him loose.
 
UIU's younger Baumler, a redshirt freshman, entered the circle for the heavyweight match. In a battle of Jordan's, Baumler faced Jordan Magnuson in the final bout of the dual. Magnuson scored the first point of the match with an escape in the second period, but a hand to the face penalty point evened the score at 1-1. Baumler got an escape to open the third period and took a 2-1 lead all the way to the finish line for the slim decision setting the final score at 38-6 in favor of UIU.
 
Upper Iowa will return to the mat in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium next Sunday, Feb. 2. The Peacocks will host the Vikings of Augustana University for the annual Mike Olson Alumni Dual and Alumni Day at 2 p.m.
 
No. 10 Upper Iowa 38 – MSU Moorhead 6
125: Jared Hensley (UIU) over Cameron Williams (MSUM) (Fall 3:22)
133: Donny Schmit (UIU) over (MSUM) (For.)
141: Tate Murty (UIU) over Mason Schulz (MSUM) (Fall 5:56)
149: Zachary Scott (MSUM) over Jacob Niichel (UIU) (Fall 6:46)
157: Mac Spotts (UIU) over Tell Ward (MSUM) (Dec 1-0)
165: Brock Benitz (UIU) over Justin Dravis (MSUM) (MD 9-1)
174: Jamie Gehling (UIU) over Evan Foster (MSUM) (Dec 3-2)
184: Dalton Hahn (UIU) over Steven Abbott (MSUM) (MD 16-4)
197: Nick Baumler (UIU) over Logan Rhode (MSUM) (Dec 16-11)
285: Jordan Baumler (UIU) over Jordan Magnuson (MSUM) (Dec 2-1)