ITHACA, N.Y. -- Bonus points decided Cornell's 24-18 win over No. 25 Drexel on Friday evening at Friedman Wrestling Center. Cornell improved to 5-1 on the season, while the Dragons fell to 7-3 despite the teams splitting the 10 matches down the middle. The Big Red had two falls and three major decisions to pull away for the victory and improve to 10-1-1 all-time against the Dragons.
Without the services of two-time national champion
Gabe Dean, Cornell jumbled its lineup with mixed results. Senior All-Americans
Dylan Palacio and
Brian Realbuto had no problems going up a weight, with Palacio making his season debut with a 12-2 major decision over Austin Rose at 165 and Realbuto capturing a second period fall over Owen Brooks at Dean's usual weight, 184 pounds. Sophomore
Brandon Womack, however, wasn't as fortunate, losing a 13-8 decision at 174 while also going up a weight class.
Drexel picked up early momentum with a decisive tech fall by Tanner Shoap at 125 to open the deal, but
Mark Grey answered with a first period pin of Brendan Hasson to give the home team the lead for good and improve to 83-0 against EIWA foes other than Lehigh over the last 12 years (90-4-1 overall). Both Will Koll (141) and
Taylor Simaz (157) earned major decision victories for the Big Red. The visitors earned third period comebacks to claim wins in the final two matches.
Cornell will turn around for another opportunity against ra ranked team when No. 9 Missouri visits Friedman Wrestling Center tomorrow at 1 p.m.
#7 Cornell 24, #25 Drexel 18
125: Tanner Shoap (D) won by technical fall over
Noah Baughman (C), 20-2
133: #19
Mark Grey (C) won by fall over Brendan Hasson (D), 2:29
141: Will Koll (C) won by major decision over Vincent Foggia (D), 11-2
149: #18 Matthew Cimato (D) wins by major decision over
Jonathan Furnas (C), 8-0
157:
Taylor Simaz (C) won by major decision over Willie Davis (D), 14-4
165: #4 (157)
Dylan Palacio (C) won by major decision over Austin Rose (D), 12-2
174: Ebed Jarrell (D) won by decision over #19 (165)
Brandon Womack (C), 13-8
184: #4 (174)
Brian Realbuto (C) won by fall over Owen Brooks (D). 4:19
197: Josh Murphy (D) won by decision over
Ben Honis (C), 6-4
285: Joey Goodhart (D) won by decision over
Jeramy Sweany (C), 11-6
