The meet ended with the score tied 19-19. Both teams recorded five match wins and one fall. Cornell was declared the winner based on the third tiebreaker criteria of total match points.
Cornell concluded a successful dual season at 11-5, with all five defeats coming against teams ranked 11th or better in the national polls. The Rams posted the second-highest dual winning percentage in coach Mike Duroe's nine seasons, behind only the 11-4 team in 2011-12.
Seniors Alex Coolidge and Carl Gaul delivered key wins at the end to rally the Rams from a 19-12 deficit. Coolidge (22-4), the top-ranked 197-pounder in both Division III polls, came through with a 12-2 major decision over Hunter Feraco to cut the margin to 19-16.
Gaul then took care of Abe Duran, 5-0, in the closing heavyweight bout to tie the dual and ultimately give Cornell the victory.
Gaul (21-8) and senior 125-pounder Ben Rosen (15-9), a 3-2 winner over Jimmy Panozzo, both notched their 90th career wins in Ram singlets. Gaul raised his career record to 90-60, Rosen 90-45.
That makes three 90-match winners in Cornell's senior class. Coolidge is on the brink of 100 victories, now at 98-32.
After Rosen's opening win, Augustana (11-5) answered with a 9-4 decision at 133 and a 14-4 major decision at 141 to take a 7-3 lead. No. 10 Trevor Engle put the Rams back on top with a quick first-period pin in 2:52 over Hector Ruiz at 149. Engle (27-5) improved to 19-1 over his last 20 matches.
The Vikings earned wins at 157 (6-0) and 165 (7-6) to go back ahead, 13-9. Cornell junior Brent Hamm (21-10) scored an important 8-2 decision at 174. Augustana then recorded a pin at 184, setting the stage for Coolidge and Gaul in the end.
Coming up – The Rams will have a few wrestlers compete Saturday at the University of Dubuque Open in Dubuque. Action begins at 9 a.m.
Cornell's varsity team looks ahead to the Central Region Championships March 1 at the Five Flags Center in Dubuque. The tournament is an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Championships, hosted by Cornell March 14-15 in Cedar Rapids.
Results:
125 – Ben Rosen (Cor) dec. Jimmy Panozzo, 3-2. 133 – Sean McMahon (Aug) dec. Phillip Opelt, 9-4. 141 – Isaiah Schaub (Aug) maj. dec. Samuel Chalkley, 14-4. 149 – #10 Trevor Engle (Cor) pinned Hector Ruiz, 2:52. 157 – Kevin Sundberg (Aug) dec. Danny Klema, 6-0. 165 – Connor Cummings (Aug) dec. Michael Maksimovic, 7-6. 174 – Brent Hamm (Cor) dec. Jordan Richardson, 8-2. 184 – Thomas Reyhons (Aug) pinned Aburough Abegesah, 2:28. 197 – #1 Alex Coolidge (Cor) maj. dec. Hunter Feraco, 12-2. 285 – Carl Gaul (Cor) dec. Abe Duran, 5-0.
Note: Cornell wins dual on tiebreaker criteria of total match points
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