DOYLESTOWN (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University men's wrestling team competed for the first time on its home mats this season, but came up short of victory as visiting Messiah College took a 22-19 win in the duel on Tuesday night.

Junior Russell Benson got the Aggies on the board with an 8-0 major decision over Ike Bryner to make it a 12-4 match. Benson used a takedown and four back points in the second period to fuel the win.

Sophomore Mike Rubino followed with an 8-5 decision over Jake Coniglio at 149 pounds. After getting taken down in the early going, Rubino was able to quickly score a reversal to tie the bout, and an escape and a takedown in the second period put him ahead for good.

The Aggies dropped the next two matches by major decision and decision and the team trailed, 19-7 going into the 174-pound bout.

At 174 pounds, Youssef Ait Boulahri remained hot as he cruised to a 4-0 decision over Dan Swarr. Ait Boulahri scored all his points in the third period with an escape off the start and a takedown less than a minute later.

Jake Nase dropped a 6-1 decision to Max Martin at 184 pounds, but Isaiah Johnson picked him up with a late first period fall at 197 pounds. Johnson got a takedown on the Falcons' Spencer Clements, and with the clock winding down, Johnson earned the pin at 2:58.

That made the team score 22-16 going into the final match of the night.

At 285 pounds, Dan Eckley found himself trailing, 3-1, going into the third. Starting on the bottom, Eckley managed to escape to earn one point and then got a takedown with less than 30 seconds remaining to tie the score, 3-3. Eckley had riding time on his side to secure the 4-3 decision.

That decision was not enough to give the Aggies the win as Messiah took the 22-19 victory.
  
 
Messiah College 22, Delaware Valley 19
125 – Asa Brunk (Messiah) by forfeit; 6-0 Messiah
133 – Jordan Howard (Messiah) by forfeit; 12-0 Messiah
141 – Russell Benson (DelVal) by maj. dec. Ike Bryner, 8-0; 12-4 Messiah
149 – Mike Rubino (DelVal) by dec. Jake Coniglio, 8-5; 12-7 Messiah
157 - Joshua Paige (Messiah) by maj. dec., Zach Zuckerman, 10-2; 16-7 Messiah
165 - John Sumner (Messiah) by dec. Chris Richardson, 7-4; 19-7 Messiah
174 – Youssef Ait Boulahri (DelVal) by dec. Dan Swarr, 4-0; 19-10 Messiah
184 – Max Martin (Messiah) by dec. Jake Nase, 6-1; 22-10 Messiah
197 – Isaiah Johnson (DelVal) by fall Spencer Clements, 2:58; 22-16 Messiah
285 – Dan Eckley (DelVal) by dec. Samuel Blevins, 4-3; 22-19 Messiah
Ex. – Carter Own (DelVal) by dec. Jordan Howard, 4-2
Ex. – Carter Owen (DelVal) by dec. Asa Brunk, 9-4