EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team closed out its regular season with a 33-8 victory over UW-Stevens Point on Friday at the Ade Olson Addition.
Zach Sato (Jr. – Oswego, Ill.) became the 11th wrestler in program history to tally 100 career victories by winning the 149-pound match against the Pointers, helping the Blugolds enter the postseason in style.
The sixth-ranked Blugolds finished their dual season with a 19-4 record and a 4-1 mark in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) duals. The 19 dual victories stand as a program record for a single season.
Sato joined the 100-win club with a dominant victory at 149 pounds. The fifth-ranked junior was in complete control from start to finish, defeating Sam Johnson by technical fall 17-0 to pick up his 100th victory. Sato joined teammates
Tristan Massie (Sr. – Hillsdale, Wis./Barron) and
Jared Stricker (Jr. – Ashland, Wis.) as wrestlers to have hit 100 career wins this season among those who have competed exclusively at UW-Eau Claire.
Tyler Fleetwood (Sr. – Fulton, Ill.) has also surpassed 100 career wins, with the vast majority of his victories coming with the Blugolds.
The dual began at 133 pounds, where eighth-ranked Fleetwood got the Blugolds off to a flying start. The senior put six points on the board with a pin early in the second period.
Drew Kested (So. – Sterling, Ill.) took the mat at 141 pounds for UW-Eau Claire. He earned the Blugolds' first victory decision of the evening, winning 6-2.
Sato followed with his 100th win at 149 pounds before the Pointers got on the board at 157.
Alfred Daniel (Sr. – Manhattan, N.Y./St. Benedict's) threatened a few rallies before eventually falling by technical fall, 25-10.
Sixth-ranked Massie earned a dramatic victory at 165. He escaped from an early deficit and earned the decisive point on riding time to score a 6-5 decision that went down to the final second.
Stricker made it back-to-back victories for the Blugolds, cruising to a 17-1 technical fall at 174 pounds.
Connor Collins (Sr. – Oshkosh, Wis./West) clinched the dual win with a 7-1 decision at 184 pounds. It put the Blugolds ahead by 20 points with three matches remaining.
Cole Matulenko (Fr. – Libertyville, Ill.) picked up UW-Eau Claire's third technical fall at 197 pounds. He rolled to a 19-4 victory.
Jackson Schichel (Sr. – Hastings, Minn.) fell in a narrow 6-5 decision at 285 pounds, but
Izzy Balsiger (So. – Chippewa Falls, Wis.) ended the dual on a high note at 125 pounds with a 10-4 victory.
The Blugolds honored eight seniors during Senior Day festivities along with managers
Riley Law and
Lily Melton: Collins, Daniel, Fleetwood, Massie, Schichel,
Marcus Hankins (Sr. – Sauk City, Wis./Sauk Prairie),
Carter Melton (Sr. – Spooner, Wis.) and
Yoshi Sesoko (Sr. – Elkhart, Wis./Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah).
UW-Eau Claire will now turn its attention to postseason wrestling. The WIAC Championships are first up, with wrestling set for Saturday, February 17 at UW-Stevens Point. Wrestling will begin at 9 a.m.
