Wrestling

No. 9 Lycoming College 20, No. 3 Delaware Valley 18

WILLIAMSPORT (PA) - Delaware Valley College nearly overcame a shorthanded lineup that had five starters miss the match due to illness, but the third-ranked Aggies fell to ninth-ranked and archrival Lycoming College, 20-18, in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) match.

The Warriors improved to 17-5 overall and finished their conference schedule at 7-0 while Delaware Valley fell to 13-4 and 6-1. It was the Aggies' first conference loss since the 2001-02 season, a span of 20 matches.

Delaware Valley was without the services of nationally-ranked Mike Weston (125), 2004 national qualifier Dan Hall (141), Ryan Pope (165), 2004 All-American and nationally-ranked Jason Shivak (174) and Mike Moore (heavyweight) due to a virus that is going around the campus.

Nonetheless, the match came down to the very end which was heavyweight. Delaware Valley moved up 197-pounder Jamall Johnson, who is ranked third in his weight class, to battle Tommy Snyder with the Aggies' holding a slim, 18-17 lead.

Snyder opened up a 3-0 lead with a first period takedown and a second period escape, but Johnson tied the bout with an escape and a takedown in the third period. But Snyder held more than a minute of riding time, so Johnson was forced to give up an escape in hopes of scoring another takedown. That takedown never came as Snyder hung on for the 5-3 win and a 20-18 victory for Lycoming.

The match opened with Lycoming's Jared Weller accepting a forfeit at 125 pounds. At 133, two-time All-American Barry Wise tallied an 8-3 decision over Sean Cullen. Delaware Valley got another decision at 141 to tie the match at 6-6 as senior Tom Becker scored takedowns in the first and third periods to top Eric Snyder, 5-2.

Rick Frondorf made it three in a row for the Aggies with a 5-3 decision over Sean Reese at 149 pounds. At 157 pounds, Delaware Valley extended their lead to 12-6 as John Powell recorded a pair of takedowns to defeat Jason Smith, 5-2.

The Warriors ended the Aggies' run at 165 pounds as Grant Brindle picked up a 22-6, technical-fall victory over Alan Schwartzbeck, and Lycoming reclaimed the lead at 17-12 at 174 pounds when Derek Crane accepted a forfeit.

Returning All-American and fifth-ranked Andrew Helms got Delaware Valley back on track with a 7-4 decision over Matt Miller at 184 pounds. The Aggies then took the 18-17 advantage when 197-pounder Kyle Phipps notched an 8-4 decision over Kevin Colton Craig. However, Snyder's victory in the final weight class gave Lycoming its 29th victory in 46 career meetings with the Aggies.

Lycoming 20, Delaware Valley 18
125 - Jared Weller (L) by forfeit
133 - Barry Wise (D) by decision over Sean Cullen, 8-3
141 - Tom Becker (D) by decision over Eric Snyder, 5-2
149 - Rick Frondorf (D) by decision over Sean Reese, 5-3
157 - John Powell (D) by decision over Jason Smith, 5-2
165 - Grant Brindle (L) by technical fall over Allan Schwartzbeck, 22-6 (6:09)
174 - Derek Crane (L) by forfeit
184 - Andrew Helms (D) by decision over Matt Miller, 7-4
197 - Kyle Phipps (D) by decision over Kevin Colton Craig, 8-4
285 - Tommy Snyder (L) by decision over Jamall Johnson, 5-3