Wrestling begins season with convincing win at MSOE

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Concordia University Wisconsin overcame an 11-0 deficit by winning seven of the next eight bouts to defeat MSOE, 29-14, in the season opener for both teams.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Concordia Wisconsin 29, MSOE 14
Location: Kern Center (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Records: Concordia Wisconsin (1-0), MSOE (0-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Falcons dropped the first two bouts of the dual at 125 and 133 to fall behind quickly, 11-0. They then won seven of the next eight bouts for a commanding 29-3 scoring run to dominate the season opener.
- MSOE's Colin Kenyon began the match with a 20-4 technical fall win over CUW's freshman Kameron Bourgeois (Whitnall, Wis.) at 125 pounds, which was followed by Bryce Fitzgerald earning a victory by fall over sophomore Maxim Riederer (Milwaukee, Wis.) in 3:35 to give the Raiders a quick 11-0 lead.
- Junior Joshua Curcio (Granger, Ind.) stepped onto the mat and won by forfeit at 141 pounds.
- Freshman Ben Reagan (Wauwatosa, Wis.) began his collegiate career with a technical fall win at 149 pounds over Tre House by a 17-1 score to tie the match at 11-11.
- Senior Pierce Holtfreter (Las Vegas, Nev.) picked up an 8-2 decision win at 157 pounds against Sam Rathburn, while sophomore Quentin Lueck (Saukville, Wis.) won by major decision, 11-2, over Ryan Snyder at 165 pounds.
- Junior Mason Mergener (Crivitz, Wis.) continued the Falcons scoring run with a 3-1 decision victory over Russell Carey at 174 pounds.
- Devon McCune slowed CUW's onslaught for a moment with an 11-5 decision win over sophomore Mitchell Slatton (Granger, Ind.)
- Junior John Hinson (Glendale, Ariz.) tallied a technical fall, 20-2, win over Brett Raymond at 197 pounds before sophomore Sam Olsen (Waukesha, Wis.) had a 5-1 decision victory against Miro Stojanovic at 285 pounds to close the match.

BEYOND THE RESULTS
- CUW won four bouts by decision, two by technical fall and one by forfeit.
- The Falcons have defeated the Raiders for the fourth-consecutive time in a dual meet.
- CUW started a pair of freshman and in all had six underclassmen in the lineup. Holtfreter was the lone senior on the mat for the Falcons.

NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
- The Falcons will compete against UW-Eau Claire in a dual meet on Friday at 11 am inside the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wis.