PISCATAWAY (NJ) – The Delaware Valley College wrestling team, ranked fourth in Division III, opened its 2014-15 campaign by splitting a pair of matches at the Rutgers University Duals. The Aggies began the day with a 27-13 triumph over Stevens Institute of Technology before dropped a 38-6 decision to the Division I nationally-ranked Scarlet Knights (Centenary College was also at the Duals but Delaware Valley did not wrestler them since the two will meet later in the year).
 
Delaware Valley, coming off a season where it tied for sixth at the NCAA Division III Championships, opened the Stevens match with a pair of falls by Connor Kirkegard and Zac Haynes at 125 and 133 pounds for a 12-0 lead. Kirkegard picked up his pin over Rob Murray with 22 seconds left in the match. Haynes dropped Anthony Geiger in 1:47.

The Ducks took three of the next four weights to make it a 17-10 score. The lone Aggie victory in those four bouts was a 20-5, technical fall victory by returning All-American and Division III top-ranked 149-pounder Vinny Fava.
 
Ben Schweiger picked up a 9-5 decision over Kalen Gans at 174 pounds for a 20-10 score while Stevens got its last points at 184. The Aggies ended wins a pair of matches from returning All-Americans and nationally-wrestlers Aaron Karns and Zach Rosberry. Karns, a two-time All-American who is ranked third at 197 pounds, earned a 6-2 decision over Robert Robert Maggiulli while Roseberry, ranked second at heavyweight, notched an 11-3 major decision over Chris Florek for the 27-13 final. 
 
In the Rutgers match, Delaware Valley took a 6-4 lead after two weights as Haynes pinned Ramos 46 seconds into the second period. Rutgers' nationally-ranked Anthony Ashnault picked up a pin at 141 for a 10-6 Scarlet Knight lead.
 
That led to a big head-to-head match-up between Fava and returning Division I national qualifier Ken Theobold at 149. Fava led 2-0 after the first period before Theobold tied it up in the second. Fava notched a takedown 35 seconds into the third for a 4-2 lead. Theobold escaped and then earned a takedown with 1:08 left and rode Fava the rest of the way for the 5-4 win.
 
Rutgers took the next four weights with a pin by sixth-ranked Anthony Perrotti at 157, for a 32-6 lead. Karns went into overtime with Ralph Normandia but dropped a 3-1 decision. Then came heavyweight as Roseberry took on the eighth-ranked wrestler in Division I in Billy Smith. Smith pulled out the 5-0 win for the 38-6 final.
 
Delaware Valley will return to action on Saturday, November 8 when it takes part in the Ursinus College Fall Brawl.

 
DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 27, STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 13
125 - Connor Kirkegard (DelVal) by fall over Rob Murray, 6:38 (6-0 DelVal)
133 - Zac Haynes (DelVal) by fall over Anthony Geiger, 1:47 (12-0 DelVal)
141 - Ryan Wilson (Stevens) by decision over Sekou Harris, 12-6 (12-3 DelVal)
149 - Vinny Fava (DelVal) by technical fall over Josh Smith, 20-5; 6:59 (17-3 DelVal)
157 - Zach Wilhelm (Stevens) by decision over Nick Menkin, 11-5 (17-6 DelVal)
165 - CJ Caserta (Stevens) by major decision over Steve Acevedo, 11-1 (17-10 DelVal)
174 - Ben Schweiger (DelVal) by decision over Kalen Gans, 9-5 (20-10 DelVal)
184 - Phil Woods (Stevens) by decision over Connor Gabriel, 6-2 (20-13 DelVal)
197 - Aaron Karns (DelVal) by decision over Robert Maggiulli, 7-2 (23-13 DelVal)
285 - Zach Roseberry (DelVal) by major decision over Chris Florek, 11-3 (27-13 DelVal)

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY 38, DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 6
125 – Sean McCabe (RU) by major decision over Connor Kirkegard, 14-2 (4-0 Rutgers)
133 – Zac Haynes (DelVal) by fall over Jalen Ramos, 3:46 (6-4 DelVal)
141 – Anthony Ashnault (RU) by fall over David Davidson, 2:39 (10-6 Rutgers)
149 – Ken Theobold (RU) by decision over Vinny Fava, 5-4 (13-6 Rutgers)
157 – Anthony Perrooti (RU) by fall over Nick Menkin, 2:46 (19-6 Rutgers)
165 – Nicholas Gravina (RU) by technical fall over Steve Scevedo, 16-1; 6:48 (24-6 Rutgers)
174 – Phil Bakuckas (RU) by technical fall over Ben Schweiger, 17-1; 4:12 (29-6 Rutgers)
184 – Anthony Pafumi (RU) by decision over Connor Gabriel, 9-2 (32-6 Rutgers)
197 – Ralph Normandia (RU) by decision over Aaron Karns, 3-1 SV (35-6 Rutgers)
285 – Billy Smith (RU) by decision over Zach Roseberry, 5-0 (38-6 Rutgers)