The Peacock wrestling team finished the day with a win and a loss in the consolation bracket of the NWCA National Duals in Louisville, Kentucky to place sixth. Upper Iowa posted a 3-2 record over the weekend to place for the 13th time in the last 15 years at the National Duals. 

UIU is now 4-2 on the season thanks to wins over No. 12 McKendree University and No. 14 Fort Hays State University on Friday and an upset over the No. 2 University of Nebraska at Kearney, 21-14, on Saturday. The big win over the Lopers on Saturday morning pushed the Peacocks into the 5th place match against No. 5 Lander University. Lander held on for a 22-18 win in the final dual of the weekend. 

After the Lopers scored a major decision at 125 pounds, the Peacocks rattled off five straight wins at 133, 141, 149, 157 and 165 pounds to push out to a 18-4 lead. Kaden Anderlik got the run started with a 7-1 decision over Joseph Airola (No. 11) and Tate Murty (No. 5) followed with a fall (5:33) over Nick James (No. 2). Ethen Doty and Eric Faught kept UIU rolling with a 7-1 win over John Burger and 3-2 decision over Briar Reisz, respectively. Chase Luensman (No. 2) closed out the win streak with a 10-8 decision over Kaden Hart thanks to a last second takedown by UIU's 165-pounder to win by two. UNK pushed back with a major at 174 and a 3-2 decision at 184 pounds when Billy Higgins (No. 1) edged Cameron Lopez, but Dalton Hahn (No. 9) secured the victory at 197 pounds with a 14-7 win over Dylan Vodicka. The Lopers took the final decision at heavyweight when Lee Herrington (No. 1) outlasted Zach Ryg (No. 9) 7-3. 

Upper Iowa rested a few starters in their final dual which opened up opportunities for some new Peacock wrestlers against No. 5 Lander. The Bearcats scored three straight bonus-point wins at 125, 133 and 141 with a tech fall and two majors to jump out to a 13-0 lead. Connor Manderfeld got his first action of the weekend and posted a 3-1 decision to UIU's first win and Eric Faught followed with a 6-2 win at 157 pounds to cut the margin in half. After Lander got a win at 165 pounds over Ryan Steffen, Cael Meyer earned a second-period fall (5:56) as UIU slimmed the margin to four, 16-12. Colter Bye and Hahn each lost 2-1 decisions at 184 and 197 pounds as the Bearcats pushed out to a secure ten-point advantage. Ryg locked down the final points of the night for UIU with a win by fall in just 44 seconds over Graysen Lantham. The win closed the final gap to four points, 22-18. 

Upper Iowa will head to Moorhead, Minn. and Aberdeen, S.D. next Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 14-15. The Peacocks will take on the Minnesota State University Moorhead on Saturday and the Northern State University Wolves on Sunday. Both duals are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

No. 9 Upper Iowa defeated No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney 21-14
125 - Bishop Murray (Nebraska-Kearney) over Colby Lopez (Upper Iowa) Maj 10-2
133 - Kaden Anderlik (Upper Iowa) over Joseph Airola (Nebraska-Kearney) Dec 7-1
141 - Tate Murty (Upper Iowa) over Nick James (Nebraska-Kearney) Fall 5:33
149 - Ethen Doty (Upper Iowa) over John Burger (Nebraska-Kearney) Dec 7-1
157 - Eric Faught (Upper Iowa) over Briar Reisz (Nebraska-Kearney) Dec 3-2
165 - Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa) over Kaden Hart (Nebraska-Kearney) Dec 10-8
174 - Austin Eldredge (Nebraska-Kearney) over Scott Kellenberger (Upper Iowa) Maj 11-0
184 - Billy Higgins (Nebraska-Kearney) over Cameron Lopez (Upper Iowa) Dec 3-2
197 - Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) over Dylan Vodicka (Nebraska-Kearney) Dec 14-7
285 - Lee Herrington (Nebraska-Kearney) over Zach Ryg (Upper Iowa) Dec 7-3

No. 5 Lander defeated No. 9 Upper Iowa 22-18
125 - James Joplin (Lander) over Colby Lopez (Upper Iowa) TF 21-6
133 - Elijah Lusk (Lander) over Kaden Anderlik (Upper Iowa) Maj 13-2
141 - Zeth Brower (Lander) over Donny Schmit (Upper Iowa) Maj 12-3
149 - Connor Manderfeld (Upper Iowa) over Randy Meyers (Lander) Dec 3-1
157 - Eric Faught (Upper Iowa) over Bryson Ethington (Lander) Dec 6-2
165 - David Hunsberger (Lander) over Ryan Steffen (Upper Iowa) Dec 9-6
174 - Cael Meyer (Upper Iowa) over Jack Bond (Lander) Fall 5:56
184 - Logan Hall (Lander) over Colter Bye (Upper Iowa) Dec 2-1
197 - Anthony Yacovetti (Lander) over Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) Dec 2-1
285 - Zach Ryg (Upper Iowa) over Graysen Lantham (Lander) Fall 0:44