Upper Iowa's wrestling team opened their run at the NWCA National Duals with a pair of wins in three matches on Friday in Louisville, Kent. The Peacocks won 13 of their 30 matches, but posted bonus-point wins in six matches including two falls, three tech falls and a major decision to highlight their two big wins.
 
Chase Luensman posted a perfect 3-0 day, while Dalton Hahn, Kaden Anderlik and Tate Murty each went 2-1 in their action in the circle. Scott Kellenberger, Ethen Doty, Eric Faught and Zach Ryg all collected one win on the day.
 
Upper Iowa's two wins came over No. 12 McKendree University, 21-13, and No. 14 Fort Hays State University, 24-18, while the loss came against No. 3 St. Cloud State University, 28-7.
 
Against McKendree, the Peacocks won six bouts including a big win by fall at 197 pounds by Dalton Hahn to provide some breathing room heading into the final match of the dual. After the Bearcats posted a major at 125 pounds, Kaden Anderlik (7-3) and Tate Murty (4-0) posted back-to-back wins to move ahead 6-4. McKendree fired back with decisions at 149 and 157 pounds to move back into the lead by four points, 10-6. Upper Iowa began their climb back into the lead with a pair of one-point decisions at 165 and 174 pounds by Chase Luensman (5-4) and Scott Kellenberger (6-5), but still trailed 13-12 after a one-point loss at 184 pounds. Dalton Hahn scored a fall (4:01) in the 197-pound match and Zach Ryg followed with a 9-6 win at heavyweight to secure the Peacocks' 21-13 victory.
 
In the championship quarterfinals, St. Cloud State won eight of the ten bouts including four major decisions at 125, 157, 174 and 184. Luensman (165) won a 5-4 decision for UIU's first win of the match and Hahn scored a 15-7 major decision at 197 pounds. Kaden Anderlik, Ethen Doty and Jordan Baumler all lost two-point decisions at 133, 149 and 285 that shifted the balance toward the Huskies.
 
In UIU's final dual of the day, Fort Hays State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but Upper Iowa took control with five straight wins to get ahead 24-3 fueled by three tech falls by Anderlik (18-1), Murty (16-0) and Doty (16-0), a 9-2 win by Eric Faught (157) and a fall (6:10) by Luensman. The Tigers stopped the run with a win by fall at 174 pounds and then posted three more wins to close the final gap to six points, 24-18.  
 
After the two wins on Friday, the Peacocks are now slotted in to take on the Lopers of the University of Nebraska at Kearney on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 9 a.m. ET in the consolation semifinals. The Peacocks are guaranteed a place in the top eight for the 13^th time in the last 15 years.
 
No. 9 Upper Iowa defeated No. 12 McKendree 21-13
125 - Christian Mejia (McKendree) over Colby Lopez (Upper Iowa) Maj 8-0
133 - Kaden Anderlik (Upper Iowa) over Ryan Ripplinger (McKendree) Dec 7-3
141 - Tate Murty (Upper Iowa) over Joseph Semerad (McKendree) Dec 4-0
149 - Brody Norman (McKendree) over Ethen Doty (Upper Iowa) Dec 2-1
157 - Noah Villarreal (McKendree) over Eric Faught (Upper Iowa) Dec 13-7
165 - Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa) over Matt Ortiz (McKendree) Dec 5-4
174 - Scott Kellenberger (Upper Iowa) over Zeke Waltz (McKendree) Dec 6-5
184 - Josh Jones (McKendree) over Colter Bye (Upper Iowa) Dec 5-4
197 - Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) over Logan Kvien (McKendree) Fall 4:01
285 - Zach Ryg (Upper Iowa) over Ian Kuehl (McKendree) Dec 9-6
 
No. 3 St. Cloud State defeated No. 9 Upper Iowa 28-7
125 - Paxton Creese (St. Cloud State) over Colby Lopez (Upper Iowa) Maj 20-6
133 - Sam Spencer (St. Cloud State) over Kaden Anderlik (Upper Iowa) Dec 7-5
141 - Alyeus Craig (St. Cloud State) over Tate Murty (Upper Iowa) Dec 7-1
149 - Joey Bianchini (St. Cloud State) over Ethen Doty (Upper Iowa) Dec 8-6
157 - Nick Novak (St. Cloud State) over Jackson Rolfs (Upper Iowa) Maj 16-2
165 - Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa) over Anthony Herrera (St. Cloud State) Dec 5-4
174 - Abner Romero (St. Cloud State) over Cael Meyer (Upper Iowa) Maj 15-4
184 - Bryce Fitzpatrick (St. Cloud State) over Cameron Lopez (Upper Iowa) Maj 12-0
197 - Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) over Dominic Murphy (St. Cloud State) Maj 15-7
285 - Elijah Novak (St. Cloud State) over Jordan Baumler (Upper Iowa) SV-1 4-2
 
No. 9 Upper Iowa defeated No. 14 Fort Hays State 24-18
125 - Kevin Honas (Fort Hays State) over Colby Lopez (Upper Iowa) Dec 7-2
133 - Kaden Anderlik (Upper Iowa) over Corbin White (Fort Hays State) TF 18-1
141 - Tate Murty (Upper Iowa) over Jacob Mitchell (Fort Hays State) TF 16-0
149 - Ethen Doty (Upper Iowa) over Drew Burgoon (Fort Hays State) TF 16-0
157 - Eric Faught (Upper Iowa) over Clint Herrick (Fort Hays State) Dec 9-2
165 - Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa) over Blaise Ronnau (Fort Hays State) Fall 6:10
174 - Cade Lindsey (Fort Hays State) over Scott Kellenberger (Upper Iowa) Fall 5:32
184 - Bryce Westmoreland (Fort Hays State) over Colter Bye (Upper Iowa) Dec 8-3
197 - Tereus Henry (Fort Hays State) over Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) Dec 6-4
285 - Anthony Caldwell (Fort Hays State) over Jordan Baumler (Upper Iowa) Dec 4-3