COLLEGEVILLE (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University men's wrestling team entered the final two bouts of the day trailing host Ursinus College, 20-14, but got two wins by fall to earn a thrilling 26-20 come-from-behind victory in the first dual of the season.
The Bears earned a win by fall at 184 pounds to go ahead, 20-14.
The Aggies countered with first-year Jackson Crawn at 197 who quickly worked a takedown and used a cradle to work the pin and get the six points right back to DelVal. It was Crawn's team-leading eight pin of the season and the two squads entered the final match of the day tied, 20-20.
Head Coach Andrew Taylor called upon heavyweight Dan Eckley to secure the victory and the sophomore did just that. Like Crawn, Eckley got an early takedown and secured a first period win by fall to lift his team to a 26-20 final.
Rookie Ryan Kelly, coming off his first collegiate tournament title a week ago, got things started for the Aggies with a 5-2 decision at 125 pounds. Kelly got a first period takedown and an escape to start the second period to open up a 3-0 lead. He tacked on one more escape and another point via riding time to give his team a 3-0 lead after the first bout.
Another rookie took to the mat for DelVal at 133 in Merlin Senat. Senat trailed by two after the first period and never recovered as Jagger Clapsadle added back points late in the match for a 10-2 major decision.
At 141, The Aggie stalwart Russell Benson got the four points right back for his team. Benson worked six takedowns in the match as he cruised to a 14-4 major decision to put DelVal back on top, 7-4, after three matches.
First-year Greg Croce wrestled for the Aggies at 149 pounds and was caught by Ursinus' Dante Monaco who capitalized on a mistake and earned a first-period fall to give his team six points and a 10-7 advantage.
Zach Zuckerman, another rookie for DelVal, took on Shawn Marchesano in the 157-pound bout. Marchesano worked an early 4-1 lead before Zuckerman got one back to cut the deficit to two. In the second, Marchesano got his third takedown of the match and held a 6-2 lead going into the third. Marchesano held out for a 10-2 major decision and the Bears led, 14-7, halfway through the dual.
The Aggies sent their third rookie to the mat in a row as Cooper Kidd went to battle at 165. Kidd got his opponent to his back early and often as he opened up a 10-0 lead at the midway point of the second period. Kidd fought off a near fall in the third period and bounced back with a takedown to close out an important major decision for the Aggies with a 16-7 win.
DelVal trailed, 14-11 going into the 174-pound bout with senior Youssef Ait Boulahri set to dual.
Ait Boulahri and his opponent, Jason Zollers, spent the first period feeling each other out and went to the second knotted at 0-0. Ait Boulahri worked an escape to start the second and take a one-point lead. Late in the second Ait Boulahri battled for a hard-earned takedown and took a 3-0 lead into the third.
Zollers got an escape in the third to pull within two of Ait Boulahri, but the savvy senior kept his opponent at bay to earn the win by 4-1 decision at tie the match at 14-14 and set up the dramatic finish in the final three bouts.
DelVal will be back in action next week at the Hershey Duals hosted by Messiah College for its final go before the holiday break.
