La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling team dropped its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) opener with a 29-15 loss to UW-Whitewater Thursday night in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles fall to 6-2 overall and 0-1 in the WIAC while the Warhawks improve to 7-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference. 

UWL took a 4-0 lead with Brandon Murphy winning by major decision (11-2) at 125-pounds over John Fortugno. The Warhawks took a 6-4 lead as Matt McEnroe won by forfeit at 133-pounds. The Warhawks would not trail the rest of the dual.

UW-Whitewater's Dakarai Clay won by decision (17-15) at the 141-pound weight class over UW-La Crosse's Tyler Shackle. Clay took the lead with :01 remaining in the dual. The Warhawks extended their lead to 15-4 after Alex Valenzona claimed a forfeit win at 149. Jake Burford defeated UWL's Aaron Bahr by technical fall (17-2, 6:19) at 157-pounds to give UW-Whitewater a 20-4 lead. Burford is ranked ninth at 149-pounds by D3wrestle.com.

The Eagles' Seth Brossard, ranked sixth on D3wrestle.com, cut the lead to 20-8 at 165-pounds, earning a major decision (13-1), defeating Tommy Hoy.

Ryan Vedner gave the Warhawks a 24-8 advantage with a major decision (15-4) over Nolan Paar at 174-pounds. Fifth-ranked Jaritt Shinoster won by technical fall (15-0) over Isaac Gust at 184-pounds to give UW-Whitewater a 29-8 lead. 
 

UWL took the final two matches. At 197-pounds, second-ranked Isaac Lahr won by major decision (10-2) over the Warhawks' Chad Richards. Fifth-ranked Ben Kawczynski won by decision (5-2) over eighth-ranked Cadin Koeppel at 285-pounds. 

In the only exhibition match, UWL's Logan Stafford won by decision (9-4) over UW-Whitewater's Jakub Macioirow at 197-pounds. 

UWL returns to action Saturday, January 15 at the Cornell College (Iowa) Cliff Keen-Mike Duroe Invitational at 9 a.m.