EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – Down by just six points headed into the final match, the UW-Eau Claire wrestlers came up just short, 32-20, against UW-Oshkosh in the McPhee Physical Education Center tonight.
After forfeiting the first two matches, the Blugolds were down 12-0. But Eau Claire got back into it by winning the next two matches and were only down 12-11.
Nathaniel Behnke (So.-Bruce, Wis.) got the Blugolds' first win at 141 pounds as he defeated Oshkosh's Joe Pelkey with a pin in 1:48.
Then at 149 pounds, Ryan Seidler (Sr.-Adams, Wis./Adams-Friendship) won by technical fall, 18-2, to give the Blugolds 11 points.
Eau Claire then dropped the next three matches before making a comeback.
At 184 pounds, Josh Cormican (Fr.-Boyceville, Wis.) pinned Korey Kleinhans in 2:47 and Luke Ortscheid (Sr.-Wausau, Wis./West) followed with a 9-2 win at 197 pounds to get the Blugolds back to within six points (26-20).
But in the end at 285 pounds, Justin Karkula (Fr.-Oshkosh, Wis./West) fell to give the win to the Titans.
Eau Claire is now 2-12 overall and 0-5 in WIAC duals while Oshkosh improves to 4-8 on the season and 3-2 in WIAC duals.
Tomorrow, UW-Eau Claire will host the Blugold Open, which will begin at 9 a.m. in the McPhee Physical Education Center.
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