CORTLAND, N.Y. - The nationally 13th-ranked Cortland wrestling team won the final five weight classes of the match to earn a 24-16 win versus 23rd-ranked Delaware Valley Friday night at Corey Gymnasium. The Red Dragons improved to 15-2 with the victory, while the Aggies fell to 8-9.

Delaware Valley built a 16-6 lead through the first five bouts. Senior Charlie Frankel (Morganville, NJ/Marlboro) opened the match with a 5-2 upset decision over Cortland freshman Nigel McNeil (Huntington Station/Huntington) at 125 pounds. McNeil entered the match ranked third nationally in Division III. Frankel led 3-2 and sealed the decision with a takedown late in the third period. At 133 pounds, senior Eric McCann (Hatfield, PA/Pennridge) recorded a major decision for the Aggies by virtue of earning a point on riding time to give Delaware Valley a 7-0 lead.

Cortland sophomore Brian Bistis (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) registered a pin 35 seconds into the second period at 141 pounds to pull the Red Dragons to within 7-6. The Aggies, however, answered with a 19-4 technical fall at the seven-minute mark by senior Zak Andrews (Emmaus, PA), ranked second nationally at 149 pounds, and a 14-1 major decision by fifth-ranked Emmanuel Ajagbe (Bogota, NJ) at 157 pounds to open up the 16-6 advantage.

The match turned during the 165-pound bout when Cortland junior Jonathan Conroy (South Plainfield, NJ) earned an 8-7 decision on a takedown with 12 seconds remaining on the clock. Conroy trailed, 5-2, early in the third period before he rallied for the win. At 174 pounds, Cortland freshman Lou Puca (Huntington) earned a 5-0 win to make it 16-12 in favor of Delaware Valley before senior Carl Korpi (Miller Place) recorded a narrow 2-1 decision versus Aggie senior Kyle Tufts (Randolph, NJ) at 184 pounds. Korpi led 1-0 after a second-period escape and built up enough riding time to secure the victory after a late escape by Tufts.

Cortland took its first lead of the match, 21-16, when nationally third-ranked junior Jared Myhrberg (Queensbury) pinned his opponent in 3:10. The Red Dragons sealed the win on junior Corey James' (Kingston) 3-2 win over freshman Mike Boardman (Madison, NJ) at 285 pounds. James built a 3-0 lead into the second period on an escape and a takedown and held on after two escapes by Boardman, the second with 1:50 still remaining in the third.

Cortland returns to action Saturday at 7 p.m. when it hosts Lycoming, while the Aggies visit Ithaca on Saturday.

Cortland 24, Delaware Valley 16

125 - Charlie Frankel (DVC) dec. Nigel McNeil, 5-2
133 - Eric McCann (DVC) major dec. Sean Kempf, 11-3
141 - Brian Bistis (CORT) pinned James DeLillo, 3:35
149 - Zak Andrews (DVC) tech. fall Andre Berry, 19-4 (7:00)
157 - Emmanuel Ajagbe (DVC) major dec. Brian Vutianitis, 14-1
165 - Jonathan Conroy (CORT) dec. Donald Smith, 8-7
174 - Lou Puca (CORT) dec. Alex Horan, 5-0
184 - Carl Korpi (CORT) dec. Kyle Tufts, 2-1
197 - Jared Myhrberg (CORT) pinned Chris James, 3:10
285 - Corey James (CORT) dec. Mike Boardman, 3-2

Exhibition Matches

133 - Edwin Perry (CORT) pinned David Davidson, 6:16
184 - Mike McGrath (CORT) major dec. Joseph Richard, 15-4


Records after match: Cortland (Red Dragons) 15-2 (ranked 13th in Div. III); Delaware Valley (Aggies) 8-9 (ranked 23rd in Div. III)