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Issued: February 10, 2007

WRESTLERS LOSE CLOSE BATTLE WITH NATIONALLY-RANKED POINT

STEVENS POINT - In a battle of two nationally-ranked teams, No. 21-ranked UW-Stevens Point defeated No. 28-ranked UW-Eau Claire, 24-18, here Saturday.

The confrontation, befitting two ranked teams, went down to the final period of the final match before Stevens Point earned the win. The Pointers’ Kyle Mueller recorded a takedown with one second left to win his 141-pound match with the Blugold freshman Andy Johnston (St. Cloud, MN/Tech) by a 4-3 score.

The Blugolds actually won five of the nine contested matches but were forced to forfeit at the 125-pound weight class, a weight they have been unable to fill all season. The Pointers, who finished 5-1 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference duals and are 12-8-1 overall, won two of their four matches with pins.

The Blugolds, who finished 4-2 in the WIAC and are 12-6 overall, won once on a fall as Dave Vanevenhoven (Sr.-Appleton/Kaukauna) pinned Point’s Fred Lane in 1:21 to improve his record to 17-11 on the season.

The four Blugolds who have already topped the 20-win mark for the season all won by decision. Lance Valiquette (Sr.-Auburn, WA) upped his season record to 27-10 with an 8-2 decision at 165. Joey Miller (Jr.-Lake Tomahawk/Lakeland Union) claimed a 9-8 win at 174 to move to 22-11 on the year. Justin Mc Auly (Sr.-Clintonville) won by a 3-2 score as he improved to 21-12 for the year. Andy Miller (So.-Appleton/North) is 24-11 on the season after taking an 8-4 win at 133 pounds.

The match was the final regular season dual for the Blugolds who will participate in the WIAC Championships at La Crosse February 18.

UW-Stevens Point 24, UW-Eau Claire 18

149 – Dave Vanevenhoven (EC) pinned Fred Lane 1:21
157 – Jake Wozniak (SP) pinned Mike Walker 1:42
165 – Lance Valiquette (EC) dec. Chris Karl 8-2
174 – Joey Miller (EC) dec. Dennis Reckelberg 9-8
184 – Craig Bollig (SP) pinned Nick Hoeft 4:23
197 – Dustin Robinson (SP) dec. Ted Sikowski 8-5
285 – Justin McAuly (EC) dec. Chad Gregory 3-2
125 – Jake Calhoun (SP) won by forfeit
133 – Andy Miller (EC) dec. Jered Kern 8-4
141 – Kyle Mueller (SP) dec. Andy Johnston 4-3

- TP -

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