SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Elmhurst wrestling team, ranked second in the latest NWCA Division III National poll, cruised into the semifinals of the Cliff Keene NWCA National Duals with a pair of victories.

Elmhurst, seeded second, opened the tournament with a 28-10 win over Wesleyan University and then toppled the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 26-9 to reach the semifinals.

Elmhurst will face third-seeded and third-ranked Cortland State in the semifinals tomorrow (January 13) at 11:00 a.m. Top-ranked Wartburg College will face fifth-ranked Centenary College in the other semifinal.

ELMHURST 28, WESLEYAN 10 - The Bluejays made quick work of 15th-seeded Wesleyan (ranked 30th) in the opening round. The Bluejays won seven of the 10 matches en route to the 18-point dual win.

Transfer Lillashawn Coleman made has Elmhurst debut with an impressive 17-2 technical fall over James Hamilton at 125 to put Elmhurst on top 5-0. Fourth-ranked Dalton Bullard followed with an 11-1 major decision over Maika Nagath at 133 pounds and sixth-ranked Ryan Early defeated Nick Scotto 2-1 at 141 pounds to put Elmhurst on top 12-0.

Wesleyan's Howard Tobochnik defeated Jim Spangler 14-2 at 149 pounds for the team's first points. Alex Maynard blanked Alexander Cannon 8-0 to earn a major decision at 157 pounds for the Bluejays. Elmhurst's Yousef Al-Ghoul suffered an 18-15 loss to Taran Car at 165 pounds.

At 174 pounds, Danny Balderas earned a 13-4 major decision over Kyle Roosa to give Elmhurst a 20-7 lead. Top-ranked Joe Rau followed with an 11-0 major decision over Jefferson Ajayi at 184 pounds. Mike Benefiel, ranked sixth 174 pounds, returned the 197 pound weight class and defeated Joshua Roometua 9-1 to score Elmhurst's final points. Wesleyan's Austin Franks defeated Dan Vargas 3-1 at 285 pounds to make the final score 28-10 in favor of the Bluejays.

ELMHURST 26, UW-WHITEWATER 9 - The Bluejays breezed into the semifinals by winning seven of the 10 matches against 10th-ranked UW-Whitewater.

Coleman opened the dual by pinning Joe Meylor in 2:57 at 125 pounds. Bullard followed with an 8-0 major decision over second-ranked Grant Sutter at 133 pounds to stake Elmhurst to a 10-0 lead. Earley made it 13-0 when he toppled seventh-ranked Jake Fredricksen at 141 pounds.

Whitewater got on the scoreboard at 149 pounds when Elroy Perkin downed Spangler 10-8. Cade Sarbacker gave the Warhawks their second straight victory by edging Maynard 1-0 at 157 pounds.

Al-Ghoul snapped the Warhawks' two-match winning streak by defeating Willie Anaya 7-3 at 165 pounds. Balderas followed with a 14-4 major decision over Ryan Aprahamian at 174 pounds. Rau dispatched Andrew Pettit 12-5 at 184 pounds and Benefiel scored the Bluejays' final points of the dual by shutting out Shane Siefert 5-0 at 197 pounds.

Whitewater's Anthony Edgren toppled the Bluejays' Jack Lewis 11-9 at 285 pounds to make the final score 26-9 in favor of Elmhurst.