Springfield, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team advanced to the semifinals of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)/Cliff Keen National Duals Saturday afternoon in the Prairie Capital Convention Center. The Eagles, the tournament's fourth-seed, opened with a 31-9 victory over 13th-seeded Centenary College (N.J.) followed by a 29-10 win over 12th-seeded the University of Mount Union (Ohio) in the quarterfinals. UW-L will face top-seed and top-ranked Wartburg College (Iowa) in the tournament semifinals Saturday at 11 a.m.

Ranked fourth in the Brute-Adidas NWCA Division III Poll released January 3, UW-L won seven of the 10 matches in its win over 25th-ranked Centenary. Joey Nelson opened with a win by decision (5-0) over Alex Reeves at 125-pounds followed by three straight technical fall victories. Adam Sheley, ranked sixth in the country, defeated Christopher Parker at 133 (16-0) while top-ranked Bebeto Yewah beat Craig Montgomery at 141 (22-4) and Bobby Dorn defeated Don Miller at 149 (16-1).

Centenary's Chris Burdge, ranked fourth in NCAA Division III at 157-pounds, earned an overtime win by decision (4-2) over UW-L's JR Lewis and Nick Bach won by decision (4-2) over Mike Minske to make it 18-6.

The Eagles' Mike Schmitz, ranked first in the country, won by major decision (10-1) at 174-pounds over Khalid Shakir. UW-L's Grant Miller then won by decision (4-1) over James Valcius at 184 and Zach Strickland earned a forfeit victory at 197.

The 285-pound match featured a pair of ranked wrestlers as Centenary's fourth-ranked Joseph Zitone won by decision (8-3) over UW-L's sixth-ranked Billy Mayer.

UW-L earned seven wins in its victory over 24th-ranked Mount Union, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a 20-19 win over seventh-ranked and fifth-seeded St. John's University (Minn.) in Saturday's first round.

Mount Union took a 4-0 lead as Brad Kress won by major decision (17-4) over Nelson at 125-pounds, but UW-L took the next six matches. Sheley won by major decision (13-1) over Bryant Roby at 133; Yewah beat ninth-ranked Josh Malave by technical fall (25-7) at 141; Dorn won by decision (6-5) over Kevin Shadrach at 149; Lewis won by decision (7-6) over Jon Garrison at 157; Kevin O'Brien defeated Joe Schindel by decision (10-7) at 165 and Schmitz won by fall (1:41) over Jeremy Hathaway at 174.

Andy Jenkins earned the win at 184-pounds over UW-L's Tony Piechowski by decision (7-4). Strickland followed with a win by technical fall (16-0) over Darin Lyles at 197 before Mount Union's second-ranked Derick Hesson won by decision (5-2) over Mayer at 285.

UW-L returns to action Sunday, January 8 in the tournament semifinals at 11 a.m.