#21 UW-La Crosse 44, UW-Eau Claire 3

Eau Claire, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team opened its 2013-14 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) dual season with a 44-3 victory at UW-Eau Claire Friday night in the McPHee Physical Education Center.  The Eagles, ranked 21st in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Poll, improve to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the WIAC while the Blugolds fall to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

UW-L earned a pair of forfeit victories to start the match to lead 12-0.  Quenten Fisher at 125-pounds and Quinn Miracle at 133 each won by forfeit.

UW-Eau Claire's Nathaniel Behnke, ranked first in the country at 141-pounds, cut the lead to 12-3 with a win by decision (7-0) over UW-L's Mason Geary.

The Eagles then captured the next seven matches.  Dylan Shaffer, Derek Weinmann and Tyler Schneider each won by major decision to make it 24-3.  Shaffer defeated Ryan Seidler at 149-pounds (11-1); Weinmann beat Matt Koch at 157 (9-0) and Schneider defeated Ryan Behnke at 165 (8-0).

Richard Carlson followed with a win by fall (6:41) at 174-pounds over Jacob Hoffstatter to give UW-L a 30-3 lead.  The Eagles' Eric Twohey then won by technical fall (18-0, 5:35) at 184-pounds over the Blugolds' Josh Cormican for a 34-3 advantage.

Alastair Keys won by fall (6:17) over Luke Ortscheid at 197-pounds for UW-L and Jake Minske finished the dual with a win by decision (8-1) over Justin Karkula at 285-pounds.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, November 23 at the Auggie Open in Minneapolis, Minnesota at 9 a.m.