MT. VERNON, Iowa (Jan. 14, 2023) - Buena Vista senior Garret Bruce (174lbs) led the Buena Vista wrestling team with a seventh-place performance on Saturday at the Cliff Keen-Mike Duroe Invite, hosted by Cornell College.

Bruce was the lone place-winner for the Beavers on the day among a field that consisted of five other American Rivers Conference teams and 16 schools overall. He began his day with a 7-2 decision over Wartburg's Devin Nobiling followed by a 13-1 major decision over Loras' Drew Venteicher. In the quarterfinals, he ws edged by Augsburg's Carter Sorenson, 3-0, but bounced back in his first consolation match with a 10-4 decision over Wartburg's Colton Berg. After a loss in his consolation semifinal match, Bruce would then settle for seventh by earning a medical forfeit.

Senior Brandon Foster (125lbs) picked up a pair of decisions to begin his day before suffering back-to-back narrow losses by scores of 8-5 and 4-0. Michael De La Cruz also notched multiple victories on the day by recording a pair of pins but also did not place. 

Max Mashek (165) and Jesse Rodriguez (165) each recorded a fall on the day with Jesus Ceja (197) picking up a technical fall in his lone victory.

Buena Vista tallied 22.5 team points on the day and finished 11th out of 16 teams. Coe College on the team race with 214.5 with Augsburg College coming in second with 154.0.

The Beavers are back in action on Jan. 21 when they host a pod of the American Rivers Conference duals. The team is set to go up against Central College at 10 a.m., Wartburg at 11:30 a.m. and the University of Dubuque at 1 p.m.