Third-Ranked UW-L Defeats Fifth-Ranked Luther

For Immediate Release: Friday, December 7, 2007

La Crosse, Wis. - The UW-La Crosse wrestling team improved to 9-0 on the season with a 28-12 victory over Luther College (Iowa) Friday night in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles entered the match ranked third in NCAA Division III and the Norse fifth. Luther falls to 2-1 on the year.

UW-L won six of the 10 matches Friday night, including three victories by fall.

Luther took a 9-3 lead after the first four matches. Lee Meirick defeated Pat Parrillo, 11-8, at 125-pounds to give the Norse a 3-0 lead. UW-L's Jordan Kolinski, ranked fifth in NCAA Division III at 133-pounds, evened the dual with a 7-2 win over Zac Bartlett. Travis Grawin, ranked sixth for Luther at 141, defeated UW-L's Kevin Barber, 6-2, to make it 6-3 and Jason Pyle made it 9-3 with a 15-10 win over Matt Mauseth at 149-pounds. Mauseth, ranked fifth in the country, suffered his first loss of the season (10-1) while Pyle improved to 8-1 with the victory.

UW-L's Jay Milz then cut the team deficit to 9-6 with a 5-2 win at 157-pounds over Lance Serbousek.

The Eagles won the next three matches by fall. Tim Palmer gave UW-L a 12-9 lead with a fall over Wes Gregg at 3:38 at 165-pounds. Josh Chelf won by fall at 6:03 over A J Gregg at 174-pounds and Josh Zabel defeated Nic Barclay by fall at 1:57 at 184-pounds to give the Eagles a 24-9 lead. A J Gregg is currently ranked fourth at 184-pounds.

Palmer and Chelf are both ranked first in the country while Zabel is fifth. Palmer improved to 101-26 in his career and Chelf moved into a tie for third in career wins at UW-L after going to 125-22.

Andy Moore gave UW-L a 28-9 lead with a 16-5 major decision victory over Scott Jennings at 197-pounds. The 285-pound match featured two ranked wrestlers as third-ranked John Miller of Luther defeated sixth-ranked Dan Laurent of UW-L, 8-4.

UW-L returns to action Saturday, December 8 at two meets, the Husky Open at St. Cloud (Minn.) State University and the Dick Walker Invite in Waverly, Iowa.