Pioneer Wrestling setback by No. 1 UW-Whitewater

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. -- The top-ranked UW-Whitewater Warhawks took down the University of Wisconsin-Platteville wrestling team, 38-3, on Thursday night at Williams Fieldhouse. 

The Pioneers lone victory came at the final match of the night, by sophomore Brandon Boyle at 285 pounds. After a scoreless first, Boyle took a 1-0 lead with an escape to start the second period, and then ended the period with a takedown, 3-0. UWW's Jake Anderson recorded an escape to start the third period, but Boyle quickly countered with a take down, increasing his lead to 5-1. Boyle received another point for riding time, sealing the 6-2 win. 

UW-Platteville had chances to pull away with three more victories but the Warhawks managed to squeak by the Pioneers. 

The Pioneers' Cole Ferguson trailed 2-1 after the first, but tied it up 2-2 with an escape in the second period. UWW's Zac Denny escaped to start the third taking a 3-2 lead. With 50 seconds left, Ferguson used a take down, to take his first lead 4-3, but Denny then came up with a reversal in the final 15 seconds to take the 5-4 victory at 125 pounds. 

UW-Platteville's Chase Wiggins took down Corey Meyer early in the opening period but Meyer registered a reversal to make it a 2-2 after the first period. Meyer recorded an escape in the second and took a 3-2 lead into the third. Wiggins escaped to start the third to tie it up at 3-3, but with eight seconds left Meyer found a take down, winning the bout 5-3 at 149 pounds. 

At 184 pounds, the Pioneers' Michael Cole started the bout with a quick take down and then found an escape near the end of the second period, taking a 3-1 lead into the final period. UWW's Angel Botzoc managed to edge out Cole in the third period with an escaped and then a take down, to win 5-3. 

UW-Platteville will returns to the mat on Saturday at the Coe College Invitational.