Iowa goes 17-3 in individual matches on Day 1
University of Iowa Sports Information

The Iowa wrestling team handed Missouri its first loss of the season Saturday afternoon, beating the Tigers, 27-9, in the quarterfinals of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in Cedar Falls. Hawkeye Head Coach Tom Brands picked up his 40th career victory and Iowa improved to 9-1 this season with the win. Iowa will face sixth-seeded Michigan (12-1) in the tournament semifinals Sunday at 11 a.m. in the UNI-Dome. Fifth-seed Minnesota (8-1) and unseeded Nebraska (8-1) will meet in the other semifinal.

Iowa, the second seed at the tournament, jumped out to a 24-0 lead against seventh-seed Missouri, winning the first seven weights. Junior Charlie Falck started things off with a 19-7 major decision over Tony Pescaglia at 125 pounds. Falck remains undefeated at 10-0 in dual competition, and is 15-1 in collegiate matches this season. Sophomore Joe Slaton (133) and Dan LeClere (141) followed with decisions, and sophomore Brent Metcalf picked up a 12-4 major decision over Josh Wagner at 149. It was Metcalf's 11th straight win and his second bonus-point victory of the day as he improved to 14-1.

Sophomore Ryan Morningstar kept the Iowa momentum going with a 5-4 win over Michael Chandler at 157 and senior Mark Perry escaped in the tiebreak period to beat fourth-ranked Nick Marable, 3-2 in overtime. Sophomore Jay Borschel was one of seven Hawkeyes to score two wins on the day with a 13-2 major decision over Brock Wittmeyer at 174.

Missouri put its first points on the scoreboard at 184, when Raymond Jordan scored a 3-2 win over Phillip Keddy. Tiger Max Askren followed with a 3:24 pin over Iowa's Rick Loera at 197. But Hawkeye senior Matt Fields put an end to Missouri's scoring run with a late takedown to defeat Mark Ellis, 5-4, at heavyweight. Fields improved to 14-2 on the season and 10-0 in dual competition.

Iowa, who defeated unseeded Cornell, 32-3 in the tournament's opening round, went 17-3 on the day. Michigan posted first day wins over unseeded Northern Iowa (30-6) and Hofstra (19-15). The Wolverines are led by top-ranked Kellen Russell (141) and Eric Tannenbaum (165), and second-ranked Steve Luke (174). Tannenbaum and Luke went 2-0 on the day, while Russell went 0-2. The probable match-up of Tannenbaum and Hawkeye senior Mark Perry will be a rematch of the 2007 Big Ten Championship finals, which Perry won 5-2. Tannenbaum won the other previous meeting between the two, 6-2 in sudden victory at the 2007 dual in Ann Arbor.