Wrestling

No. 21 Delaware Valley College 26, No. 14 Lycoming College 9

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - Two-time national qualifier Dan Hall's marathon victory at 141 pounds ignited 21st-ranked Delaware Valley College to a dominating 26-9 home triumph over 14th-ranked and Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) archrival Lycoming College.

The win improved the Aggies to 9-6 overall in dual meets and a perfect 7-0 in the MAC. The four-time defending MAC champions will wrap up the regular season with matches on Friday and Saturday against Division I opponents Wagner College and Boston University, before preparing for the MAC Championships at Elizabethtown College on February 18. The loss dropped the Warriors to 15-6-1 overall and 6-1 in conference action.

Delaware Valley held a 5-3 advantage after two weight classes when Hall and Lycoming's Kyle Hopkins (14-10) hit the mat. The match turned into a 9-minute, 51-second thriller as the two were tied at 3-3 after seven minutes of regulation and neither wrestler was able to record a point through a minute of overtime and a pair of 30-seconds rideouts. Another 60-second overtime began and, with just nine ticks remaining, Hall (12-9) registered a takedown and two-point near-fall for a 7-3 triumph and an 8-3 Aggie lead.

Delaware Valley used the momentum from that bout and picked up decisions at the next three weight classes for 17-3 score. Jaryd Steinbacher improved to 8-11 on the year as the freshman 149-pounder took a 3-0, second-period lead and held for a 3-2 victory over Drew Barder.

At 157 pounds, Ryan Herwig (17-9) built a 5-0 lead with a takedown and a three-point near-fall in the first period. He held a 7-2 lead near the end of the second period and went on to a 7-5 triumph over Jason Smith (5-3).

Senior John Powell (17-8) made it four straight wins for the Aggies as he erased an early 2-0 deficit, and notched a 10-5 victory over Grant Brindle (4-4) at 165 pounds.

Derek Crane (15-7) kept Lycoming in the match at 17-6 as an escape 15 seconds into the second period was the only point of the match in a 1-0 victory over Ryan Pope (10-9) at 174 pounds.

However, senior Mike Berlanda clinched the team victory for the Aggies at 184 as two takedowns, a near-fall and an escape led towards a 7-2 decision over Matt Miller (15-5). The victory improved Berlanda to 15-7 and it gave Delaware Valley a 20-6 lead.

2005 national runner-up Jamall Johnson padded the advantage to 26-6 as he pinned Bryan Kopesky (4-7) with just 12 seconds remaining in the first period (2:48). For Johnson, ranked second in Division III at 197 pounds, it was his 17th win in 21 matches, including 10 by fall.

Lycoming's final points came at heavyweight as returning All-American Tommy Snyder, ranked fifth in Division III, improved to 21-1 on the year with a 6-2 decision over Kevin Orr (17-7).

The night began at 125 where Delaware Valley's Josh Proctor (6-4) dominated from the beginning and nearly picked up a fall in the first 30 seconds. Proctor went on to register four near-falls and earned a 16-0 technical fall victory over James Saxton (8-10) for a 5-0 Aggie lead.

2005 All-American Sean Cullen (18-5) cut the Warrior deficit to two as the 133 pounder used two takedowns, an escape and riding time for a 6-1 victory over Justin Shorts (11-13). That led to the Hall-Hopkins thriller and the momentum-changing match of the night.

DELAWARE VALLEY COLLEGE 26, LYCOMING COLLEGE 9
125 - Josh Proctor (DVC) by technical fall over James Saxton, 6:36 (16-0) (5-0 DVC)
133 - Sean Cullen (Lyc) by decision over Justin Shorts, 6-1 (5-3 DVC)
141 - Dan Hall (DVC) by decision over Kyle Hopkins, 7-3 TB-2 (9:51) (8-3 DVC)
149 - Jaryd Steinbacher (DVC) by decision over Drew Barder, 3-2 (11-3 DVC)
157 - Ryan Herwig (DVC) by decision over Jason Smith, 7-5 (14-3 DVC)
165 - John Powell (DVC) by decision over Grant Brindle, 10-5 (17-3 DVC)
174 - Derek Crane (Lyc) by decision over Ryan Pope, 1-0 (17-6 DVC)
184 - Mike Berlanda (DVC) by decision over Matt Miller, 7-2 (20-6 DVC)
197 - Jamall Johnson (DVC) by fall over Bryan Kopesky, 2:48 (26-6 DVC)
Hwt - Tommy Snyder (Lyc) by decision over Kevin Orr, 6-2 (26-9 DVC)

Referee: Tom Corey
Attendance: 600