NASHVILLE (TN) – The Delaware Valley College wrestling team, ranked third in Division III, upended a pair of top 15 teams, en route to a 3-1 showing at the Gator Duals.
 
The Aggies opened with an 18-16 loss to Heidelberg University, but bounced back with a 24-15 win over 13^th-ranked Luther College and a 26-14 triumph over No. 8 Loras College. There was also a 30-14 victory over St. John's University in-between the wins over ranked squads. Delaware Valley is now 4-2 in dual meets as the 2014 portion of its schedule came to an end.
 
The Aggies had a pair of undefeated wrestlers on Saturday in nationally-ranked Vinny Fava and Aaron Karns. Fava, the top-ranked 141-pounder in Division III, went 4-0 with a major decision and three decisions as he improved to 13-2. Karns, ranked third at 197 pounds, upped his record to 14-3 as he went 3-0 with two pins and a major decision.
 
Both of Karns' pins came in the matches against the ranked teams when those bouts were tied with two weights to go. Against Luther, he dropped Tyler Walls in 4:17 for six team points. Top-ranked heavyweight Zach Roseberry then followed with a 5-1 decision over Conner Herman to wrap the 24-15 victory. Then in the Loras contest, Karns pinned Connor Swider in just 59 seconds to break a 14-14 deadlock. Roseberry was then awarded a forfeit win for the 26-14 final in the match.
 
Connor Kirkegard, ranked sixth nationally at 125 pounds, had a pin in the Luther match while Fava, Alex Horan (165) and Schweiger (174) each had decisions. Kirkegard, Horan and Schweiger each went 3-1 on the day.
 
After the Luther match, Delaware Valley racked up wins in seven of the first eight weight classes, en route to a 30-4 lead over St. John's University and a 30-14 final. Kirkegard and Zac Haynes (133) opened with decision while Fava picked up his major decision. Jeff Reimel pinned his foe at 157 and Horan was awarded a forget victory. Schweiger and Alex Price (184) added major decisions.
 
The fourth match of the day saw Loras jump out to an 11-5 lead halfway through the battle. Haynes and Fava had decisions for the team's early points (the Aggies lost one team point on a penalty). Delaware Valley bounced back with wins in four of the final five weight classes, starting with Horan's 11-9 decision over Ben Kindle. Joe Butler gave Loras a 14-8 lead with a decision at 174, but Connor Gabriel tied it up by pinning Awais Arain 1:55 into the match. Karns and Roseberry then picked up their 12 points for the win.
 
The long Saturday began in the morning against Heidelberg. Kirkegard pinned his foe in just 31 seconds while Favaa and Schweiger had decisions. The Aggies found themselves down 15-12 until Karns earned a 13-2 major decision over Ricky Bruce for a 16-15 advantage. Roseberry then battled fourth-ranked Nino Majoy and Majoy won a 4-3 battle for the 18-16 team win.
 
Delaware Valley will return to action on Saturday, January 10 when it travels to nearby Ursinus College (Collegeville, Pa) for the North-South Duals.
  
 
HEIDELBERG UNIVERSITY 18, DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 16
125 – Connor Kirkegard (DelVal) by fall over Derek Thomas, 0:31 (6-0 DelVal)
133 – Joe Brodman (Heid) by decision over Zac Haynes, 6-1 (6-3 DelVal)
141 – Justin Kihn (Heid) by decision over Sekou Harris, 4-0 (6-6)
149 – Vinny Fava (DelVal) by decision over Damon Cheek, 12-5 (9-6 DelVal)
157 – Tyler Fahrer (Heid) by decision over Jeff Reimel, 13-7 (9-9)
165 – Alex Kenner (Heid) by decision over Alec Horan, 5-4 (12-9 Heidelberg)
174 – Ben Schweiger (DelVal) by decision over Brennan Kelly, 5-2 (12-12)
184 – Richard Dowdley (Heid) by decision over Connor Gabriel, 5-3 (15-12 Heidelberg)
197 – Aaron Karns (DelVal) by major decision over Ricky Bruce, 13-2 (16-15 DelVal)
285 – Nino Majoy (Heid) by decision over Zach Roseberry, 4-3 (18-16 Heidelberg)
 
DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 24, LUTHER COLLEGE 15
125 – Connor Kirkegard (DelVal) by fall over Julian Gendreau, 5:39 (6-0 DelVal)
133 – Evan Obert (Luther) by decision over Zac Haynes, 5-2 (6-3 DelVal)
141 – Brian Burchett (Luther) by decision over Sekou Harris, 8-2 (6-6)
149 – Vinny Fava (DelVal) by decision over Dakota Gray, 7-3 (9-6 DelVal)
157 – Reed Van Anrooy (Luther) by decision over Jeff Reimel, 8-2 (9-9)
165 – Alec Horan (DelVal) by decision over Blake Letney, 6-3 (12-9 DelVal)
174 – Ben Schweiger (DelVal) by decision over Justin Kreiter, 10-6 (15-9 DelVal)
184 – Jayden DeVilbiss (Luther) by disqualification over Connor Gabriel (15-15)
197 – Aaron Karns (DelVal) by fall over Tyler Walls, 4:17 (21-15 DelVal)
285 – Zach Roseberry (DelVal) by decision over Conner Herman, 5-1 (24-15 DelVal)
 
DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 30, ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY 14
125 – Connor Kirkegard (DelVal) by decision over John Wells, 4-2 (3-0 DelVal)
133 – Zac Haynes (DelVal) by decision over Evan Guffey, 7-0 (6-0 DelVal)
141 – Ben Henle (St. John's) by major decision over Michael Caldwell, 8-0 (6-4 DelVal)
149 – Vinny Fava (DelVal) by major decision over Brandon Schorr, 14-1 (10-4 DelVal)
157 – Jeff Reimel (DelVal) by fall over Jesse Rogers, 1:05 (16-4 DelVal)
165 – Alec Horan (DelVal) by forfeit (22-4 DelVal)
174 – Ben Schweiger (DelVal) by major decision over Teddy Erickson, 15-4 (26-4 DelVal)
184 – Alex Price (DelVal) by major decision over Robert Tait, 15-3 (30-4 DelVal)
197 – Ryan Michaelis (St. John's) by major decision over Ethan Barnes, 10-1 (30-8 DelVal)
285 – Colin Fisher (St. John's) by fall over Tom Tehan, 4:00 (30-14 DelVal)
 
DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 26, LORAS COLLEGE 14
125 – Vincent Elizalde (Loras) by decision over Connor Kirkegard, 2-1 (3-0 Loras)
133 – Zac Haynes (DelVal) by decision over Michael Triplett, 7-2 (3-3)
141 – Nick Steger (Loras) by major decision over Sekou Harris, 9-0 (7-3 Loras)
149 – Vinny Fava (DelVal) by decision over Evan Weaver, 6-2 (7-6 Loras)
157 – Steven DeWitt (Loras) by major decision over Jeff Reimel, 16-6 (11-5 Loras)*
165 – Alec Horan (DelVal) won by decision over Ben Kindle, 3-0 (11-8 Loras)
174 – Joe Butler (Loras) by decision over Ben Schweiger, 11-9 (14-8 Loras)
184 – Connor Gabriel (DelVal) by fall over Awais Arain, 1:55 (14-14)
197 – Aaron Karns (DelVal) by fall over Connor Swider, 0:59 (20-14 DelVal)
285 – Zach Roseberry (DelVal) by forfeit (26-14 DelVal)
* Delaware Valley deducted one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct