Whitewater, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team rallied for a 25-20 victory at UW-Whitewater Thursday night in Kachel Gymnasium. The Eagles, ranked 18th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), improve to 6-4 overall and 2-0 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Warhawks, ranked 13th, fall to 8-6 overall and 2-1 in the conference. 

UWL won five of 10 matches in the WIAC matchup. The Warhawks won the first match as third-ranked Mike Tortorice won by major decision (11-2) over ninth-ranked Sawyer Sarbacker at 125-pounds. The Eagles' Josh Stenger followed with a win by technical fall (21-2, 5:00) over Josiah Lynden to give UWL a 5-4 lead. UW-Whitewater took an 8-4 lead after fourth-ranked Hazen Rice won by major decision (11-2) over Hayden Schlough at 141-pounds. 

Devin Tortorice won by technical fall (21-6, 7:00) over Sam Wenzel at 149-pounds to give UW-Whitewater a 13-4 lead. UWL's Grant Zamin, ranked first in the country at 157-pounds, earned a technical fall (21-5, 7:00) over Jake Burford to cut the lead to 13-10. 

Warhawks took the next two matches for a 20-9 lead as Ryder Sigler won by decision (9-3) over Nick Fetzner at 165-pounds while top-ranked Jaritt Shinhoster won by major decision (10-2) over Mitch Hertel at 174-pounds. 

UWL took the final three matches to win the dual. Connor Williams won by decision (14-7) at 184-pounds over Nick Sundberg to cut the lead to to 20-13. The Eagles' Isaac Lahr and Isaac Gust followed with wins by fall to earn the team victory. Lahr won by fall (1:20) over Riley Kauzlaric at 197-pounds to make it 20-19. Gust then won by fall (3:21) over Cadin Koeppel at 285-pounds to secure the victory.

UWL returns to action Saturday, January 18 at the Cornell College (Iowa) Cliff Keen-Mike Duroe Invitational at 9 a.m.