DOYLESTOWN, PA. – Cortland won seven of 10 matches, including senior Jonathan Conroy's (South Plainfield, NJ) 100th career victory, and the nationally third-ranked Red Dragons defeated eighth-ranked Delaware Valley, 23-12.

The Red Dragons improved to 13-2 on the season while the Aggies fell to 6-2. Cortland will face 15th-ranked York College (Pa.) as well as Thaddeus Stevens and Penn St. Mont Alto in matches at York Saturday.

Delaware Valley opened with a 6-0 lead after a pin by returning All-American Charlie Frankel at 125 pounds. 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 required minute of time as freshman Alec Dierna (Webster/Webster Schroeder) won 2-1. Nationally sixth-ranked junior Brian Bistis (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) then notched a reversal with 1:08 remaining for a 3-1 victory.

In a battle of nationally ranked wrestlers at 149 pounds, Delaware Valley's Emmanuel Ajagbe, ranked fourth in Division III, edged second-ranked freshman Bobby Dierna (Webster/Wayne), 3-2. 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 neither wrestler scored again. Dierna suffered only his second loss of the year and is now 23-2.

The Red Dragons picked up back-to-back major decisions at 157 and 165 to reclaim the lead at 14-9. Seventh-ranked senior Troy Sterling (Uniondale) earned an 11-3 triumph at 157 and Conroy notched his 100th career win with a 9-1 verdict at 165. Conroy has a career mark of 100-34 and is the seventh Red Dragon wrestler to reach the century mark.

Cortland extended its advantage to 17-9 as nationally fourth-ranked sophomore Lou Puca (Huntington) jumped out a 3-0 lead en route to a 3-1 decision at 174 pounds. Puca is now 21-3 this winter. Delaware Valley got three points back at 184 as Connor Gabriel rallied from a 2-1 deficit to earn a 5-3 decision.

The 197-pound match, like 149 pounds, featured two nationally ranked wrestlers. Cortland senior Jared Myhrberg (Queensbury), ranked first, edged fourth-ranked Aaron Karns, 4-3. 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 on a stalling call. Myhrberg improved to 25-1 on the season.

The final bout of the evening saw Cortland senior Corey James (Kingston) notch a takedown with one second remaining in overtime for a 3-1 decision at 285 pounds.


Cortland 23, Delaware Valley 12

125 – Charlie Frankel (DVC) pinned Paul Fields, 2:08
133 – Alec Dierna (CORT) dec. Pat Davis, 2-1
141 – Brian Bistis (CORT) dec. Dale Fava, 3-1
149 – Emmanuel Ajagbe (DVC) dec. Bobby Dierna, 3-2
157 – Troy Sterling (CORT) major dec. James Dugan, 11-3
165 – Jonathan Conroy (CORT) major dec. Nick Della Fera, 9-1
174 – Lou Puca (CORT) dec. Dallas Winston, 3-1
184 – Connor Gabriel (DVC) dec. Alex Meyers, 5-3
197 – Jared Myhrberg (CORT) dec. Aaron Karns, 4-3
285 – Corey James (CORT) dec. Mike Boardman, 3-1 (ot, sv-1)

Exhibition:
285 – Andy Scopino (CORT) pinned Omri Johnson, 1:50