ITHACA, N.Y. -- Seventh-ranked Cortland State junior Lou Puca recorded a key pin against the nation's fifth-ranked wrestler at 174 lbs. and the 10th-ranked Red Dragons sealed a 27-14 victory against fifth-ranked Wabash by earning wins in the final two weight classes Saturday afternoon at Ithaca.
With Cortland (9-3) holding a slim 12-10 advantage, Puca turned a second-period reversal into a pin at 4:29 against Wabash's Conner Lefever, who had entered the match with a 24-1 record. The fall gave Cortland an 18-10 lead with three weight classes remaining. With the pin, his team-high seventh of the season, Puca improved to 25-7 on the season. The Little Giants (10-3) pulled to within 18-14 in the next bout as nationally third-ranked Riley Lefever raised his record to 25-0 with a 16-2 major decision at 184 lbs.
Sophomore Joe Giaramita, ranked fourth at 197 lbs, earned the deciding team points with a 3-2 decision, securing the win on a third-period escape, to improve his record to 26-5 as Cortland increased its lead to 21-14. Ninth-ranked junior Lance Moore capped off the match for the Red Dragons when a late takedown in the first period led to a pin in 2:53 for the final of 27-14. Moore raised his record to 21-3 with the win.
Wabash took an early 3-0 lead on Tommy Poynter's 6-5 decision at 125 lbs. Poynter won the bout with a third-period escape and riding time. After Cortland sophomore Alec Dierna was awarded a forfeit win at 133 lbs, Cortland senior Brian Bistis recorded a 5-0 decision at 141 lbs. in his first action in more than a month. Top-ranked Red Dragon sophomore Bobby Dierna followed with a 9-3 decision at 149 lbs. to improve to 16-3 on the season as Cortland led 12-3.
Wabash won the next two weight classes to set up the closing bouts.
No. 1 Wartburg at IIAC Duals
STORM LAKE, Iowa -- Wartburg increased its winning streak to 50 at the IIAC Duals on Saturday.
Wartburg picked up a pair of shutout wins to end the three-match dual. After opening with a 40-10 win against Buena Vista, Wartburgh then beat Central 46-0 and then Dubuque 43-0.
Kenny Anderson picked up two major decisions on the day, beating Central's Aaron Anderson and Dubuque's Stephen Rosenburg.
No. 8 Messiah at MAC Championships
GRANTHAM, Pa. -- Messiah won their first MAC championship as a team with 102.5 points. Three Falcons took first-team all-conference honors by winning their weight class. Lucas Malmberg (125), Ricardo Plummer (174), and Josh Thomson (184) secured those finishes.
This year marks the first MAC championship since wrestling left the conference in 2006.
Six other Falcons placed in the top three of their weight class, with only the top two receiving all-conference recognition. Kyle Coblentz (133, third), Ben Wise (157, third), Stephen Cannon (165, second), Jeremy Bailes (174, third), Ben Kramer (197, second), and Charles Jones (285, third) all took podium honors with their efforts.
Messiah finished eight points ahead of sixth-ranked Wilkes, who finished in second. Myzar Mendoza won his 100th career match for Wilkes while Mark Hartenstine and Kris Krawchuk won individual titles.
No. 9 Olivet at Wisconsin-Whitewater Border Brawls
WHITEWATER, Wis. -- Olivet won two matches at the Wisconsin-Whitewater Border Brawls. The Comets started the day with a 23-12 win against Concordia-Moorhead and then beat Wisconsin-Stevens Point 24-13.
Olivet won seven bouts against No. 2 Concordia-Moorhead. Senior Robbie Bidlingmaier got the winning started for the Comets with a 6-0 decision at 125 lbs.
After a 3-1 loss at 133 lbs., Olivet won three consecutive bouts by decision -- senior Justin Holm, 9-2 at 141 lbs.; senior Gage Pederson, 7-4 at 149 lbs.; and junior Kyle Witgen, 6-3 at 157 lbs. -- to build a 12-3 lead.
The Cobbers won 4-1 at 165 lbs. to trim their deficit down to 12-6. The Comets put the match away by winning three consecutive bouts. Junior Nick Allen and senior Jeff Holm won by decision, 4-2 and 3-1, at 174 and 184 lbs., respectively. Sophomore Thomas Hall capped Olivet's win with a 17-0 technical fall win.
The Comets won six bouts against Stevens Point. Senior Henry McKeown won 12-7 at 125 lbs. Following a 3-1 loss at 133 lbs, Justin Holm posted a 2-1 decision at 141 lbs., and Pederson won by fall with 24 seconds left in the first period to make the score 12-3.
Junior Dan Fleet started a string of three consecutive Comet wins by winning 5-3 at 165 lbs. Allen pinned his opponent at the 5:37 mark of the 174 lbs. bout. Jeff Holm secured Olivet's win with a 3-1 decision at 184 lbs.
