FAYETTE, Iowa -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead wrestling team was within 18-12 with two matches remaining against No. 10-ranked Upper Iowa, but the Peacocks won the final two matches to secure a 28-12 dual win over the Dragons in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Friday night in Fayette, Iowa.

The Dragons fell to 5-5 overall and 2-1 in the NSIC with the loss, while Upper Iowa improved to 9-1-1 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC.

MSUM won four matches on the night against the No. 10-ranked team in Division II.

"Overall it was a good effort," MSUM head coach Kris Nelson said. "This has been a good trip. The guys are improving every day and building confidence. After the win at Mankato on Thursday we came into tonight looking for the win and we won four matches and I thought we were competitive."

Upper Iowa opened the match with a pin at 125 to take a 6-0 lead, but MSUM won the next two matches by decision to tie the dual at 6-6. Freshman Shane Novak outlasted Upper Iowa's Matt Paulus, 3-0 at 133 pounds to get the Dragons on the board. Moments later, MSUM redshirt freshman Isaac Novacek earned a 13-7 win over Jordan Roths at 141 to tie the match.

"I felt that Isaac Novacek had a really good effort," Nelson said. "He wrestled the full seven minutes and got a good win at 141."

Upper Iowa won the next three matches -- including one by pin -- to build an 18-6 lead in the match.

The Dragons came back at 174, as junior Conner Monk earned a 6-5 win over Colbey Vance to cut the Upper Iowa lead to 18-9.

"He had a great third period and had some riding time," Nelson said. "It was a good weekend for Conner Monk."

Senior Matt Lewellen improved to 23-9 on the year with a 2-0 win over Upper Iowa's Brock Gobin at 184 pounds to bring the Dragons within 18-12.

Upper Iowa won by major decision at 197 and by fall at 285 to secure the 28-12 win.

MSUM will be at home for the rest of the regular season, starting on Thursday at home against Southwest Minnesota State. The dual begins at 7 p.m. at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn.

Upper Iowa 28, MSUM 12
125-Mitch Funk (UIU) pinned Blake Bosch, 2:16
133-Shane Novak (MSUM) dec. Matt Paulus, 3-0
141-Isaac Novacek (MSUM) dec. Jordan Roths, 13-7
149-Edwin Cooper (UIU) pinned Garret Hoffner, 1:18
157-Zak Benitz (UIU) dec. Dan Murakami, 7-1
165-Dalton Westerlund (UIU) dec. Shawn Porter, 9-6
174-Conner Monk (MSUM) dec. Colbey Vance, 6-5
184-Matt Lewellen (MSUM) dec. Brock Gobin, 2-0
197-Carl Broghammer (UIU) maj. dec. Tyler Schlosser, 8-0
285-Logan Hopp (UIU) pinned Gerad Fugleberg, 4:50