DOYLESTOWN (PA) – In a battle of top 10 teams, third-ranked SUNY Cortland won seven of 10 weight classes, en route to a 23-12 road triumph over No. 8 Delaware Valley College.

The Red Dragons improved to 13-2 on the season while the Aggies fell to 6-2. Delaware Valley will get right back into action as it hosts 13th-ranked Ithaca College on Saturday afternoon (12:00 p.m.)

Wrestling in front of the home crowd for the first time this season, Delaware Valley got off to a strong start as returning All-American Charlie Frankel got an early takedown and near fall before pinning Paul Fields (12-16) with 52 seconds remaining in the opening period (2:08) of their 125-pound match. It was Frankel's 11th win in 16 matches and it gave the Aggies a 6-0 lead.

Cortland tied it with a pair of decisions at 133 and 141 pounds. At 133, riding time was the difference and was just four seconds over the require minutes of time as Alec Dierna (16-7) notched a 2-1 triumph over Pat Davis (10-10). Sixth-ranked Brian Bistis (17-5) then notched a reversal with 1:08 remaining for a 3-1 victory over Dale Fava (2-3).

Then came a battle of nationally-ranked wrestlers at 149 as Delaware Valley's Emmanuel Ajagbe, ranked fourth in Division III, put his 22-2 record on the line against No. 2 Bobby Dierna (23-1). After a scoreless first period, Dierna escaped to start the second. Ajagbe recorded a takedown with 57 seconds remaining in the period and Dierna escaped for a 2-2 tie heading into the third. Ajagbe was given the escape point to begin the third and that was it for the scoring for a 3-2 decision and a 9-6 Aggie advantage. 

However, the Red Dragons picked up back-to-back major decisions at 157 and 165 to reclaim the lead at 14-9. Seventh-ranked Troy Sterling (13-6) earned an 11-3 triumph over James Dugan (20-12) while Jonathon Conroy (19-5) notched his 100th career win for Cortland with a 9-1 major over Nick Della Fera (17-14).

Cortland then extended its advantage to 17-9 as fourth-ranked Lou Puca (21-3) jumped out to a 3-0 lead, en route to a 3-1 decision over Dallas Winston (17-7) at 174 pounds.  Delaware Valley then got three points back at 184 as Connor Gabriel (10-8) rallied from a 2-1 deficit to earn a 5-3 decision over Alex Meyers (7-13).

That set the stage for 197 as fourth-ranked Aaron Karns (21-2) looked to knock off the number one wrestler in Division III in the Red Dragons' Jared Myhrberg (24-1). After a scoreless first, Myhrberg hit a reversal and a two-point near fall for a 4-0 lead. Karns used escapes in the second and third periods and he added one point in the closing seconds as Myhrberg was called for stalling. However, Myhrberg held on for the 4-3 decision and clinched the team win for Cortland.

The final bout of the evening saw Cortland's Corey James (17-3) notch a takedown with one second remaining in overtime for a 3-1 decision over Mike Boardman (11-9) at heavyweight and a 23-12 final. 

SUNY CORTLAND 23, DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 12
125 -  Charlie Frankel (DelVal) by fall over Paul Fields, 2:08 (6-0 DelVal)
133 -  Alec Dierna (CORT) by decision over Pat Davis, 2-1 (6-3 DelVal)  
141 -  Brian Bistis (CORT) by decision over Dale Fava, 3-1 (6-6)  
149 -  Emmanuel Ajagbe (DelVal) by decision over Bobby Dierna, 3-2 (9-6 DelVal)
157 -  Troy Sterling (CORT) by major decision over James Dugan, 11-3 (10-9 CORT) 
165 -  Jonathon Conroy (CORT) by major decision over Nick Della Fera, 9-1 (14-9 CORT)
174 -  Lou Puca (CORT) by decision over Dallas Winston, 3-1 (17-9 CORT)
184 -  Connor Gabriel (DelVal) by decision over Alex Meyers, 5-3 (17-12 CORT)
197 -  Jared Myhrberg (CORT) by decision over Aaron Karns, 4-3 (20-12 CORT)
285 -  Corey James (CORT) by decision over Mike Boardman, 3-1 OT (23-12 CORT)
EXHIBITION (285): Andy Scopino (CORT) by fall over Omri Johnson, 1:50