WHEATON, Ill. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire wrestling team tied for 24th place out of 31 teams at the 2012 Pete Willson Invitational, hosted by Wheaton College (Ill.).
UW-Parkside, an NCAA Division II school, won the invite with 117.5 points while UW-Whitewater came in second with 102. The Blugolds tied Milwaukee School of Engineering with 17.5 points.
Mat Rieckhoff (So.-Wausau, Wis./D.C. Everest) and Tyler Kennedy (Jr.-Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) contributed the most points to the Blugolds, coming in with 5.5 each. Joe Pitsch (Sr.-Oshkosh, Wis./North) scored four points while Brandon Stradel (Fr.-Denmark, Wis.) had 2.5.
At 174 pounds, Kennedy won his first match with a pin but fell in his next match getting pinned. He then won one more before finishing his time at the invite with a loss.
In the 184 pound weight class, Rieckhoff dropped his opening match but then won three in a row before losing a final match to complete his time at the invite.
Pitsch, in the heavyweight category, opened with a victory but then fell in his next match. He then completed the invite with another win and a loss.
At 157, Stradel started with a bye and then lost his first match. He then won his next competition before dropping his final match.
Next Friday, the Blugolds will hold their first home meet of the season when UW-Oshkosh comes to town for a WIAC dual competition. Saturday, the Blugolds will host their annual Blugold Invitational.
-KM-
