EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - The tenth ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team was back in action for their home opener on Thursday with three other top-15 teams in attendance: first ranked Augsburg University, eighth ranked Loras College, and eleventh ranked UW-Whitewater. The Blugolds started hot as they remained unbeaten in WIAC play with a 23-15 victory over the No. 11 Warhawks. UWEC fell in the other two matches of the evening, falling 29-9 to the No. 8 Duhawks and 23-9  to the No. 1 Auggies.

UWEC vs. UWW

UW-Eau Claire secured a 23-15 victory, highlighted by performances from key wrestlers. Balsiger set the tone early in the 125-pound match with a 10-6 decision over Brady Phelps, giving the team an initial lead. Wyatt Unser expanded that lead, securing a major decision at 133 pounds with a 9-0 shutout against Jordan Rasof. Ty Fink delivered a technical fall at 141 pounds, overpowering Cale Stonitsch 22-6 in 6:04, which further solidified the team's early dominance.

Despite losses in the middle matches, including a tough 17-2 technical fall at 165 pounds against Tristan Drier, the Blugolds bounced back. Preston Carlisle earned an 8-2 decision at 174 pounds, halting the opponent's momentum. Ian Pepple added to the lead with a technical fall victory at 197 pounds, winning 19-2 in 6:47. Cole Matulenko closed the event with a decisive 5-0 decision at 285 pounds, securing the team's overall win.

UWEC vs. Loras

UWEC faced a challenging match against Loras College, concluding with a 29-9 defeat. Travis Moelter opened the competition in the 125-pound weight class with a narrow 4-2 decision loss to Aidan Gruenenfelder. In the 133-pound category, Wyatt Unser also fell short, losing 4-3 to Wiley Jessup. Calvin Singewald at 141 pounds was defeated by Owen Seffrood with an 11-5 decision, while Landon Church in the 149-pound division was bested 8-2 by Chase Fiser.

In a standout performance for the Blugolds, Harvey claimed a 9-0 major decision win against Braylon Griffiths in the 165-pound match. Pepple added another highlight at 197 pounds, securing a technical fall victory over Alex Watson with a 16-0 score in 5:46. Despite these victories, UWEC struggled in other weight classes, including a 19-4 technical fall loss by Ryder Depies in the 184-pound category. The team will look to build on these individual successes in their upcoming matches.

UWEC vs. Augsburg

The Blugolds fell to their opponent with a final team score of 23-9. Moelter opened the dual strongly in the 125 lbs weight class, securing an 18-15 decision over Ethan Aird. Carlisle delivered a notable performance at 174 lbs, defeating Nick Alexander with a 9-5 decision. Pepple also contributed to the team's points with a 7-2 decision victory over Ethan Winkelman in the 197 lbs category.

Despite these individual successes, UWEC faced several narrow defeats. Wyatt Unser and Gage Losiewicz both fell in their respective matches by close margins, losing 9-6 in sudden victory and 3-2 by decision. The team also struggled in the middleweight classes, with losses at 165 lbs and 184 lbs, where Tristan Drier and Ben Peterson were defeated by major decisions. The team will look to bounce back in their upcoming matches.

The Blugolds are now 2-2 in duals this season and improve to 2-0 in WIAC competitions.

The next challenge for the Blugolds is set for December 6, where they will compete at 9 a.m. at the Kern Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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