NEW ORLEANS, La. - The third-ranked Elmhurst wrestling team posted a perfect 3-0 record while competing at the Gator Duals in New Orleans.

Elmhurst opened with a 31-7 victory over16th-ranked Luther College and then toppled Simpson College 45-5. The Bluejays closed out the one-day tournament with a 27-12 win over #12 Concordia College (Minn.).

ELMHURST 31, LUTHER 7 - Elmhurst won eight of the 10 matches en route to a 24-point dual win over #16 Luther. Miguel Venecia opened the dual with a 5-4 win over Robert Pation at 125 pounds. Luther's Evan Obert evened the score at 3-3 by upsetting Elmhurst's Dalton Bullard 6-2 at 133 pounds.

The Bluejays put the dual away by winning the next six matches. Ryan Earley scored a 10-2 major decision over Dakota Gray at 141 pounds. Jim Spangler followed with an 11-4 win over Brent Blaser at 149 pounds. Nick DiNardo gave Elmhurst a 13-3 lead with a 9-4 win over Blake Letney at 157 pounds. Yousef Al-Ghoul followed DiNardo's win with a 5-2 victory over Luther's Dusty Jentz at 165 pounds.

The Bluejays posted back-to-back wins by pin at 174 and 184 pounds. Mike Benefiel made short work of Jarid Groth at 174 pounds with a pin in 49 seconds. Joe Rau pinned Jarden DeVilbiss in 6:45 at 184 pounds. Trent Flegel scored Luther's final points of the dual with a 12-2 win over Mike McNeil at 197 pounds. Jack Lewis closed out the dual with a 12-9 victory over Nick Pearch at 285 pounds.

ELMHURST 45, SIMPSON 9 - The Bluejays improved to 4-0 on the season by racing past Simpson College 45-5. Venecia received a forfeit at 125 pounds to open the dual. Bullard put Elmhurst on top 12-0 by pinning Sam Reichenbacher in 31 seconds at 133 pounds. Earley scored a 17-2 technical fall over Jeff Sand at 141 and Spangler followed with a 10-0 major decision over Derek Entz at 149 pounds. Simpson's Cory Stratton scored a 17-2 technical fall over DiNardo at 157 pounds to account for the Storm's only points of the dual.

Al-Ghoul gave Elmhurst a 27-5 lead by pinning Greg Harlow in 57 seconds. Benefiel scored a win by injury default at 184 pounds and Rau followed with a pin of Taylor Witzel in 1:42 at 184 pounds. Danny Balderas defeated Jared Bevins 6-2 at 197 pounds and McNeil closed out the dual with an 8-7 win over Tony Saucedo at 285 pounds.

ELMHURST 27, CONCORDIA 12 - The Bluejays wrapped up the tournament with a 15-point win over the 12th-ranked Cobbers.

The Bluejays won the first four matches to open the dual and take a 15-0 lead. Venecia pinned Gabe Foltz in 1:12 at 125 pounds and Bullard followed with a 7-3 victory over Yonas Gebreab at 133 pounds. Earley put Elmhurst in front 12-0 wih a 7-2 decision over Chase Austvold at 141. Spangler blanked Klye LeDuc 3-0 at 149 pounds to put Elmhurst on top 15-0.

Concordia Cut into the lead with back-to-back wins. Kevin Fynboh downed DiNardo 5-1 at at 157 pounds and Josten Coleman followed by pinning Al-Ghoul in 6:56.

Benefiel scored a pin over Jake Krogstadt at 174 pounds and Rau followed with a 6-2 win over Christian Harrison at 184 pounds. Balders edged Delson Saintal 2-1 at 197 pounds to score Elmhurst's final points.

Tom Bouressa edged Lewis 2-1 at 285 pounds to account for Concordia's final points.