NCIS wrestling: #6 Peacocks defeat #4 Mavericks
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#6 Upper Iowa 24 - #4 Minnesota State 18
Dorman Gym - Fayette, Iowa (Jan. 28, 2009)
Season Dual Records:
Upper Iowa 10-1 (4-0 NSIC)
Minnesota State 6-3 (1-2 NSIC)
(Fayette, IA)— Dorman Gym was the place to be on Thursday night in Northeast Iowa. On the campus of Upper Iowa University in Fayette, a matchup of top ten teams in NCAA Division II wrestling was taking place. The match went back and forth and wasn't decided until the next to last match when the #6 Peacocks claimed the 197 pound match by decision over the #4 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Upper Iowa claimed the Northern Sun Conference victory, 24-18, to improve to 10-1 on the season and 4-0 in NSIC action.
The dual began at 125 pounds and Tyler Mumbulo (#6 NCAA) lined up against Andy Forstner (#4 NCAA). The Peacock senior scored a two-point near fall in the third period to claim a 5-2 win by decision and give UIU an early 3-0 lead.
At 133, Kyle Pedretti extended Upper Iowa's lead to 7-0 when he picked up a major decision victory thanks to six takedowns in the match. The Monona, Iowa native earned the victory by a 15-4 count.
The Mavericks rallied back to take a 12-7 lead after wins by decision at 141 (Robby Fisher, 4-0) and at 157 (Justin Turek, 5-4) and a pinfall victory at 149 (Travis Elg, 2:18).
The Peacocks cut the margin to 12-10 after the 165 pound match when Travis Eggers (#2 NCAA) won his match, 4-1, to pick up three points for the team.
The momentum swung UIU's direction at 174 pounds when Mitch Norton (#3 NCAA) worked his position on top into a cradle and converted it into a pin (4:15) in the second period. Norton's win by fall propelled the Peacocks back into the lead and lifted the tremendous crowd to their feet in celebration.
Upper Iowa continued to fight hard at 184 pounds where Mitchell Schultz dominated his match scoring on three takedowns and picking up four separate near falls to earn a technical fall (16-1, 6:32) and give the home team a 21-12 lead.
The match was salted away at 197 as Nick Shandri recorded an escape in the third period and a late takedown before coming away with a 3-2 decision and pushing the Upper Iowa lead to 24-12.
Minnesota State's Brady Wilson (#1 NCAA) took the heavyweight match for the Mavericks to end the dual , but the six points only cut the gap in half and UIU emerged victorious, 24-18.
The Peacocks and #10 Vikings of Augustana College sit atop the Northern Sun Conference standings with undefeated records and are set to meet on Feb. 7 in Fayette (2 p.m.).
Prior to the dual with Augustana, Upper Iowa must regroup quickly overnight as the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University are set to invade Dorman tomorrow night, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m.
Contact:
Howard Thompson
Director of Sports Communication Services
563-425-5307
thompsonh@uiu.edu
www.upperiowaathletics.com/