UW-La Crosse 32, UW-Eau Claire 9
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La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team, ranked fourth on the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Poll, earned a 32-9 victory over UW-Eau Claire Thursday night in Mitchell Hall in the Eagles' home opener. UWL improves to 1-0 overall and 1-0 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) while UW-Eau Claire drops to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the conference. 

UWL now leads the all-time series, 45-7, with UW-Eau Claire.  The Eagles have won the last 31 meetings.

The Blugolds took a 6-0 lead as Zackary Sirny opened the dual with a win by fall (4:42) over the Eagles' Nelson Baker.  UWL quickly tied the match at 133-pounds as Ryan Weinmann, ranked seventh in NCAA III, won by fall (4:41) over Cody Vogel. 

UWL took its first lead of the night at 141-pounds as Dustin Weinmann won by major decision (13-4) over UW-Eau Claire's Jordan Meyer to give the Eagles a 10-6 lead. Weinmann is ranked fifth in the country.  The Eagles recorded back-to-back wins by major decision to take a 18-6 lead. Mason Geary won by major decision (10-0) over Hunter DeLeon at 149-pounds while Michael Murnane won by major decision (17-5) over Connor Hanson at 157-pounds. 

UW-Eau Claire's Toby Mosley cut the lead to 18-9 at 165-pounds after a win by decision (8-5) over UWL's Clark Doyle.  UWL won the remaining four matches.  At 174-pounds, Sawyer Massie earned a win by decision (10-6) over Tyler Vogt while the Eagles' Alex Friedman defeated Travis Cripe by decision (9-3) at 184-pounds to make it 24-9.

Michael Otomo won by technical fall (20-4, 5:20) over Cecil Philson at 197-pounds and Konrad Ernst earned a win by decision (6-0) over UW-Eau Claire's Justin Karkula to make the final score, 32-9. 

UWL returns to action Saturday, November 19 at the Augsburg College (Minn.) Auggie Open and the Concordia University (Wis.) Open. Both tournaments starts at 9 a.m.