EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling team made its first dual in the Sonnentag Event Center a memorable one, defeating UW-Platteville 49-3 on Friday. The fifth-ranked Blugolds celebrated Senior Night with a straightforward victory in their final dual of the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Including forfeits, the Blugolds won at nine of the 10 weight classes. The Pioneers forfeited twice.
• Of the eight matches that were wrestled, UW-Eau Claire won six with bonus points. That included four pins.
• Bo Niewiadomski (Sr. - Rosholt, Wis.), Luke Krier (Sr. - Mazeppa, Minn./Zumbrota-Mazeppa), Jared Stricker (Sr. - High Bridge, Wis.) and Ian Pepple (So. - Hastings, Minn.) all secured pins for the Blugolds at 141 pounds, 149 pounds, 174 and 197, respectively. Pepple won the first match ever wrestled at the Sonnentag Event Center by pin in 2:40.
• Izzy Balsiger (Jr. - Chippewa Falls, Wis.) and Sloan Welch (So. - Arpin, Wis./Auburndale) picked up wins by technical fall at 125 and 285, respectively.
• Colton Sund (Sr. - Prior Lake, Minn.) won by decision at 157 pounds. Travis Moelter (So. - River Falls, Wis.) and Tristan Drier (So. - Cadott, Wis.) received forfeit victories at 133 and 184, respectively.
• The Blugolds celebrated seniors Charles Gierke (Sr. - Hudson, Wis.), Jan Hernandez-Soto (Sr. - Minneapolis, Minn./Patrick Henry), Krier, Jake Matthews (Sr. - Addison Trail, Ill.), Niewiadomski, Zach Sato (Sr. - Oswego, Ill.), Niall Schoenfelder (Sr. - Antioch, Ill.), Stricker and Sund during the intermission. That group also included manager Hope Turvaville.
• UW-Eau Claire closed out its dual season with a 17-1 record. The team went 3-1 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) duals.

UP NEXT

The Blugolds will have several wrestlers competing in the Don Parker Memorial Open (Sponsored by Festival Foods) on Saturday, February 8. First whistle is at 10 a.m. at the McPhee Center.

Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugolds.com or on our app, Blugold Sports, and on social media on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.