EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The ninth-ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team gave third-ranked UW-La Crosse a battle, but fell to the Eagles 28-10 in a dual on Wednesday night at the McPhee Center. The Blugolds built an early lead, but the Eagles pulled away late in the dual to remain unbeaten in the WIAC.
Carter Schulz (Fr. - Rice Lake, Wis.) got the Blugolds off to a hot start at 125 pounds, doubling up Brandon Murphy in a 4-2 decision. It was the 15th victory of the season for Schulz.
Tyler Fleetwood (Sr. - Fulton, Ill.) lived up to his No. 9 ranking at 133 pounds. Fleetwood controlled from start to finish in a 12-0 major decision over Cael Weinzweig. It put the Blugolds ahead 7-0 in the team scores.
Ty Peterson (So. - Delavan, Minn./Blue Earth) wrestled for the Blugolds at 141 pounds. He fell to Sam Lorenz 15-1 in a major decision.
The 149-pound match was the first of the night to feature individually-ranked wrestlers going head to head. Fifteenth-ranked Zach Sato (So. - Oswego, Ill.) battled No. 7 Tyler Goebel, but fell in a 6-3 decision after Goebel pulled away late.
Colton Sund (So. - Prior Lake, Minn.) took the mat at 157 pounds for UW-Eau Claire. Sund fell to third-ranked Nolan Hertel by technical fall 18-3. Hertel's win put the Eagles ahead 13-7.
The nation's No. 9 and No. 10-ranked wrestlers squared off at 165 pounds. No. 10 Tristan Massie (Jr. - Hillsdale, Wis./Barron) wrestled No. 9 Noah Leisgang. Leisgang escaped in the final five seconds of the third period to earn a dramatic 4-3 victory.
No. 13 Jared Stricker (So. - Ashland, Wis.) wrestled at 174 pounds for the Blugolds, taking on No. 2 Seth Brossard. Brossard won via fall in the first period.
Tenth-ranked Niall Schoenfelder (So. - Antioch, Ill.) took an early lead and held on at 184 pounds to put the Blugolds back on the board. A first-period takedown and a third-period escape helped him earn a 3-0 decision against Kalyn Jahn.
UW-Eau Claire sent 11th-ranked Chase Melton (Sr. - Spooner, Wis.) to the mat at 197 pounds to face fifth-ranked Ben Kawczynski. The two were tied in the latter stages of the bout, but Kawczynski held off Melton in a 8-4 decision.
The dual closed out with a 285-pound match between Jackson Schichel (Jr. - Hastings, Minn.) and ninth-ranked Michael Douglas of UW-La Crosse. The bout went to overtime and was won by Douglas 3-1 in a sudden victory.
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