LA CROSSE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire wrestling team picked up one team win and a multitude of individual victories at the Candlewood Suite Duals hosted by UW-La Crosse at Mitchell Hall today.

The Blugolds earned a 26-21 win over Loras College (Iowa) in the second round, picking up their first victory of the season. No. 5-ranked Cornell College (Iowa) bested Eau Claire 37-12 while Waldorf College (Iowa) just slipped past the Blugolds 24-22. In each of the three duals, the Blugolds gave up 12 points right away as they forfeited at 125 and 133 pounds.

Tyler Kennedy (Jr.-Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) led the Blugold effort with pins in all three of his matches in the 174 weight class. Kennedy pinned his Loras opponent just 1:44 into the competition and recorded two others at the 2:36 and 4:54 marks.

Five other Blugolds picked up two wins on the day. Brandon Stradel (Fr.-Denmark, Wis.) earned both a pin and a major decision in the first two rounds of the day from the 157 weight division.

Ryan Seidler (Jr.-Adams, Wis./Adams-Friendship) and Mat Rieckhoff (So.-Wausau, Wis./D.C. Everest) each picked up a pin and a decision in the respective 149 and 184 weight divisions.

Wrapping up the victories, 197 division competitor Luke Ortscheid (So.-Wausau, Wis./West) earned two decisions while Joe Pitsch (Sr.-Oshkosh, Wis./North) won by two major decisions in the heavyweight class.

The La Crosse Duals also hosted a JV competition. In the 174 class, Brett Jensen (Sr.-Barron, Wis.) claimed a 9-2 decision over a Waldorf opponent and pinned his Loras challenger in just 47 seconds. Jacob Hoffstatter (So.-Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd) also picked up a 14-1 major decision over a Loras opponent in the 184 division. From the 174 class, Adam Figi (Fr.-River Falls, Wis.) earned a pin 2:33 into a match against St. John's University (Minn.).

The Blugolds will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 8 for a meet at St. Olaf College (Minn.). The meet is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

-AH-