The No. 9 Peacocks opened the dual portion of the 2021-22 schedule with a solid win at the Battle of the Bluffs in La Crosse, Wis. Upper Iowa won six of the ten bouts in their dual with the Tigers of Ouachita Baptist University to post a 23-15 win. UIU (1-0) scored a win by fall, two major decisions and three decisions to secure the victory.
 
UIU claimed a 23-6 advantage in takedowns over OBU and the only three reversals in the dual went to the Peacocks.
 
Ouachita Baptist opened the dual with a 3-2 win at 125 pounds as Noah Yeamens beat Dakota Henry 3-2 behind a first-period takedown.
 
Trailing 3-0, UIU's Kaden Anderlik came off the whistle and attacked Cole McCartney. Anderlik scored a pair of takedowns and a four-point nearfall in the opening fram and then added two more takedowns in the second period before working his position into a fall at 3:59. The win pushed UIU out to a 6-3 lead and began a streak of five-straight Peacock wins.
 
Connor Manderfeld toed the line for the first time this season at 141 pounds and used three takedowns including a pair in the opening period to win 8-4 over Zander Fields. Eric Faught (No. 8 NWCA) followed with a hard-fought 4-2 decision over Jaylon Otero highlighted by a four-point third period on an escape, a takedown and a ride time point.
 
At 157 pounds, Chase Luensman took a 4-1 lead into the third period and then dominated the final period with a second reversal, two more takedowns and a pair of two-point nearfalls to win by major decision 14-3.  Scott Kellenberger secured an 11-4 win at 165 pounds thanks to five takedowns across the three periods. The win by Kellenberger pushed the Upper Iowa lead to 19-3.
 
The Tigers won three of the final four bouts, but Myron Crawford dominated the 184-pound match against Will Martin. Crawford scored six takedowns and added an escape to open the second period and a ride-time point to win by major decision 14-6.
 
Colter Bye dropped a tough 5-4 decision to Adrian Salazar-Rivera at 174 pounds, while Brooks Schrimsher took an early 6-0 lead on Bodie Garnier on the way to a win by fall at 2:05. Johnny Green overcame an early takedown by Jordan Baumler to defeat UIU's heavyweight 8-4 to set the final dual score at 23-15.
 
Upper Iowa will be back on the mat with many of their other wrestlers on Saturday, Nov. 13. The Peacocks are competing in Decorah, Iowa at the Luther Open beginning at 9 a.m.
 
#9 Upper Iowa 23 – Ouachita Baptist 15
125: Noah Yeamans (OBU) over Dakota Henry (UIU) (Dec 3-2)
133: Kaden Anderlik (UIU) over Cole Mccartney (OBU) (Fall 3:59)
141: Connor Manderfeld (UIU) over Zander Fields (OBU) (Dec 8-4)
149: Eric Faught (UIU) over Jaylon Otero (OBU) (Dec 4-2)
157: Chase Luensman (UIU) over Jackson Carter (OBU) (MD 14-3)
165: Scott Kellenberger (UIU) over Chase Howerton (OBU) (Dec 11-4)
174: Adrian Salazar - Rivera (OBU) over Colter Bye (UIU) (Dec 5-4)
184: Myron Crawford (UIU) over Will Martin (OBU) (MD 14-6)
197: Brooks Schrimsher (OBU) over Bodie Garnier (UIU) (Fall 2:05)
285: Johnny Green (OBU) over Jordan Baumler (UIU) (Dec 8-4)