GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Messiah wrestling team earned an exciting 23-21 victory over the Delaware Valley Aggies on Friday night. It all came down to the final bout of the night at 141 lbs. With the Falcons trailing 21-18, Josiah Gehr earned a technical fall to clinch the dual by just two points. Earlier in the night, Garret Cornell picked up a fall at 157 lbs. early in the second period. After trailing 6-1 after the opening period, Cornell choice bottom and quickly earned the reversal and fall in just 29 seconds.
 
In addition to Gehr's late dual fireworks and Cornell's exciting fall, Zach Needles (165 lbs.) earned a decision, Austin Brass (13-3) a major decision, and Ryder Slayton (184 lbs.) a technical fall to account for Messiah's scoring on the night.
 
The Falcons will have a quick turnaround as they host The College of New Jersey tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in Brubaker Auditorium.
 
How It Happened
A tight opening bout between Noah Rice and Del Val's Greg Croce kicked off the dual at 149 lbs. Things were tied 1-1 late in the third period, when Rice was whistled for a questionable potentially dangerous call. Just moments later, Croce took Rice down and rode him out for the final seconds to earn a 4-1 decision.
 
The Falcons would get on the board at 157 lbs. with Garret Cornell doing what he does best, pinning. Del Val's Nicholas Delorenzo earned a pair of takedowns in the opening period to build a 6-1 lead as the bout headed to the second. Cornell chose bottom and quickly made good on his chose, slipping out of Delorenzo's grasp and locking in a cradle before his Aggie opponent know what hit him. Cornell earned the fall just 29 seconds into the second period after starting the period on bottom.
 
Zach Needles and Austin Brass followed with victories at 165 and 174 lbs., respectively. Needles earned a 9-3 decision at 165 lbs., picking up a pair of takedowns in the match. Brass followed with a convincing 13-3 major decision over Luke Moore. Brass built an 8-2 lead after the opening period thanks to a pair of takedowns and a pair of nearfall points.
 
Ryder Slayton followed with one of the quickest matches of the day. Slayton needed just 2:52 at 184 lbs. to dispose of the Aggies' Matt Mushinski by way of a 15-0 technical fall. Slayton earned a takedown just over a minute into the opening period and used three sets of nearfall points to earn the tech in the first period.
 
After Slayton's victory, Messiah had build a sizable, 18-3 lead midway thorugh the 10 bouts. The Aggies would respond with four-straight victories to take a 21-18 lead heading into the final bout of the night at 141 lbs. During Del Val's stretch of victories, the Aggies picked up a decision at 285 lbs., a major at 197 lbs., a tech fall at 125 lbs., and a fall at 133 lbs.
 
Josiah Gehr stepped to the mat for the Falcons at 141 lbs. and earned his first takedown just 21 seconds in to the bout against Gabe Whittington. After letting Whittington up, Gehr earned another first-period takedown with 41 seconds left in the period. Two nearfall points followed as Gehr took an 8-1 lead into the second period. After choosing bottom, earning a quick escape and a takedown, Gehr claimed another set of back points as the second period expired to clinch the 16-1 technical fall in exactly five minutes.
 
The bonus-point victory clinched the match for the Falcons by a final score of 23-21.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons will welcome the No. 13 TCNJ Lions on Grantham tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in their final dual of the regular season. Saturday's dual will be played in Brubaker Auditorium.

Messiah defeats Delaware Valley – 24-21
149 lbs. – Greg Croce (DelVal) wins by dec. (4-1) over Noah Rice (Messiah)
157 lbs. – Garret Cornell (Messiah) wins by fall (3:29) over Nicholas Delorenzo (DelVal)
165 lbs. – Zach Needles (Messiah) wins by dec. (9-3) over Adam Coleman (DelVal)
174 lbs. – Austin Brass (Messiah) wins by maj. dec. (13-3) over Luke Moore (DelVal)
184 lbs. – Ryder Slayton (Messiah) wins by tech fall (15-0, 2:52) over Matt Mushinski (DelVal)
197 lbs. – Daniel Flynn (DelVal) wins by maj. dec. (10-2) over Sawyer Dereszynski (Messiah)
285 lbs. – Isaiah Johnson (DelVal) wins by dec. (7-3) over Hayden Benner (Messiah)
125 lbs. – Malik Asfour (DelVal) wins by tech fall (18-2, 5:29) over Corbin Hutchison (Messiah)
133 lbs. – Jacob Blair (DelVal) wins by fall (2:07) over Asa Brunk (Messiah)
141 lbs. – Josiah Gehr (Messiah) wins by tech fall (16-1, 5:00) Gabe Whittington (DelVal)
 
ex. 157 lbs. – Clay Gainer (Messiah) wins by dec. (5-3) over Michael Beers (DelVal)
 

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