Pioneers split duals against back-to-back nationally ranked teams

WAVERLY, Iowa – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville wrestling team defeated No. 18 Olivet College 21-20 before falling 24-15 to No. 1 ranked Wartburg College. 

"We wrestled a little flat against Olivet but came away with a win," said head coach Trevor Kittleson. "We gave up too many bonus point victories. The team responded very positively and stepped up against Wartburg. We fought hard in all positions. Battled until the end of every match and came out splitting matches 5/5. I feel like today was a great growing experience for us! We are really coming together and fighting for each other! I was very pleased with how we ended the day!" 

In the first dual of the day, junior Isaac Wiegel kicked things off with a win by fall at 125 pounds to take a 6-0 lead. Junior Caleb Radtke won at 133 pounds with an 11-4 decision which Junior Zach Thompson followed up with another win for the Pioneers, defeating his Olivet opponent by 5-2 decision at 141 pounds. 

Leading 12-0 over the Comets, Olivet got on the board by 11-8 decision at 149 pounds, but freshman Owen Norman bounced back at 157 pounds with a 16-7 major decision to push the Pioneers' lead to 16-3. 

Olivet went on a three-match streak winning the 165, 174 and 184 pounds matches by technical fall, 7-4 decision and pin. 

With the comets holding a narrow 17-16 lead with two matches left, freshman Tyler Hannah defeated his opponent at 197 pounds by 10-2 major decision to push the Pioneers' lead to 21-17. UW-Platteville lost by 5-0 decision at 285 pounds, but it was just enough to hold off Olivet for the 21-20 win. 

With one victory under their belts, the Pioneers prepared to face the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, a team that had not allowed any opponent to win more than one match in any duel yet this season. 

Wiegel pulled through once again to start the Pioneers off in the right direction and take a 3-0 lead after a 3-1 decision at 125 pounds. 

The powerhouse Wartburg answered back with two wins by fall and two major decisions in the next four matches to bolt out to a 20-3 lead. 

Sophomore Coy Ruess pulled out a sudden victory 3-1 win at 165 pounds to halt the Knight's run and put three more points on the board for the Pioneers. 

Senior Nick Dado used the momentum from Ruess' OT win to win by 4-0 decision at 174 pounds and narrow Wartburg's lead to 20-9.

The Knights' won the 184 pounds match by 18-4 major decision, but UW-Platteville finished the dual strong with Hannah pulling out a 7-6 decision at 197 pounds and sophomore Brett Schoenherr defeating his opponent by 8-7 decision at 285 pounds. Wartburg's 24-15 win marks both the first dual being held to under 41 points and the first time a team scored more than three points in a dual against the Knights. 

UW-Platteville will take a break until it returns to action and WIAC competition with a dual against UW-Eau Claire in Williams Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 6 p.m.