La Crosse, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team fell to UW-La Crosse 29-9 in a WIAC road dual Thursday evening. 

The Eagles opened the match with a pair of major decisions. Luke Berktold (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) fell to Cole Gentsch 16-2 at 125 while Jordan Rasof (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) dropped the 133-pound bout to Wyatt Magolski 14-2. 

Ninth-ranked Justin Fortugno (Armonk, N.Y./Byram Hills) got the Warhawks on the board at 141 pounds. Fortugno registered a 5-3 decision over #12 Talan Schutte. Dominik Mallinder (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park), the top ranked wrestler at 149 pounds in Division III, posted an 11-5 decision over Kellen Kelly. Luke Swan (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) made it three consecutive wins for UWW at 157 pounds. Swan defeated Joe Penchi by 8-2 decision to give UW-Whitewater a 9-8 lead in the match. 

The Eagles reclaimed the lead in the next bout as #3 Tanner Gerber won by technical fall (15-0, 2:02) over Callen Kirchner (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Schaumburg). UWL tallied the win in the next four bouts for the win. At 174 pounds, #15 Jermaine Butler (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) fell by 4-1 decision to #5 Eddie Simes. RJ Samuels (Darien, Ill./Downers Grove South) fell to #3 Tate Flege by 16-7 major decision at 184 pounds while #6 Tyler Dormanen won by decision, 6-0, over Tyler Haydon (River Falls, Wis./River Falls). In the final bout of the evening, UWL's Henry VanderHeiden won by fall (4:29) over Anthony Soto (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) at 285 pounds. 

Due to sickness and other factors, the Warhawks will not have any attached wrestlers competing at the Harper Open in Illinois this weekend. UW-Whitewater will be back in action at the annual Pete Wilson Invitational hosted by Wheaton January 30-31.