Osage, Iowa - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team, fourth in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III rankings, fell 22-14 to NCAA Division II Upper Iowa University Saturday night at Osage High School.  The Eagles drop to 5-2 on the season while the Peacocks improve to 5-0. 

UWL head coach Dave Malecek and Upper Iowa head coach Heath Grimm both attended Osage High School.

The Eagles took a 3-0 lead Saturday night as Ryan Weinmann opened the dual with a win by decision (7-5) over the Peacocks' Garrett Wangsness.  Upper Iowa captured the next two matches to lead 7-3 with Matt Paulus winning by major decision (10-2) over Quinn Miracle at 133-pounds and Jordan Roths earning a win by decision (3-2) over Garrett Dziedzic at 141.

UWL cut the lead to 7-6 at 149-pounds with Mason Geary winning by decision (8-7) over Damian Penichet.  Upper Iowa won the next three matches to lead 19-6.  At 157-pounds, Jordan Rinken won by fall (1:58) over Michael Murnane to make it 13-6 followed by Zak Benitz winning by decision (9-3) over Derek Weinmann at 165-pounds and Colbey Vance winning by decision (3-2) over Sean O'Neil at 174.

Alex Friedman cut the deficit to 19-12 for UWL with a win by decision (10-6) over Dalton Westerlund at 184-pounds.  The Peacocks' Ryan Parmely won by decision (8-6) over the Eagles' Zach Tooley at 197-pounds to make it 22-12 before the Eagles' Clay Broze finished the dual with a win by technical fall (16-1) over Maurice Wilbum at 285-pounds.

UWL returns to action at the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals Friday, January 8 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The preliminary round gets started at 8 a.m. (Central Time).