It marked the second win over a top-25 team in as many weeks for Gardner-Webb (6-5) and the third win in a row overall for Daniel Elliott's Runnin' Bulldogs. Duke is ranked 24th in this week's InterMat team rankings.
Cortez Starkes (125) and Tyler Ziegler (133) pushed Gardner-Webb to an early 7-0 lead after two bouts, with Starkes slipping past Thayer Atkins by a 5-3 decision and Ziegler handling Brandon Leynaud in a 13-4 major decision.
Zach Finesilver rallied the Blue Devils quickly, however, recording a pin fall over Ryan Hull at 141 pounds to trim the lead to 7-6 - and No. 10 Mitch Finesilver followed with a decision over talented 149-pounder Chris Vassar for a 9-7 Duke edge on the team scoreboard.
Ryan Mosley continued to wrestle well at 157 pounds - up a weight class from his NCAA qualifying level of 2015 - nipping Connor Bass by a 4-2 margin to seize the lead for the 'Dogs.
Jake Faust outlasted Austin Trott by a 5-2 decision at 165 pounds in a seemingly pivotal result - but Brett Stein wrestled himself to a 10-4 win at 174 pounds and Hunter Gamble followed with a key decision at 184 pounds to push Gardner-Webb in front 16-12 with two bouts remaining.
The nation's 5th-ranked wrestler at 197 pounds - Duke's Conner Hartmann - improved his record to 19-1 overall with a pin of TJ Henderson in 2:00, putting the Blue Devils on top once again (18-16) and leaving the match in the hands of heavyweights Cornwell (GWU) and Brendan Walsh (Duke).
Cornwell and Walsh battled in a low-scoring tussle through the first six minutes, with Cornwell scoring the winning points on a two-point reversal with just over 30 seconds left on the third period clock - giving Gardner-Webb an emotional victory.
It marked another milestone win for the Runnin' Bulldogs, who picked up their first win over Duke since the 1998 season.
Gardner-Webb will return home to resume Southern Conference action Friday night, hosting The Citadel at 6:00 pm in Paul Porter Arena. The match will air live on The Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com), with Alex and Andy Bennett calling the action.
Results:
125 - Cortez Starkes (GWU) dec. Thayer Atkins (Duke), 5-3 - Duke 0, GWU 3
133 - Tyler Ziegler (GWU) major dec. Brandon Leynaud (Duke), 13-4 - Duke 0, GWU 7
141 - Zach Finesilver (Duke) fall Ryan Hull (GWU), 3:51 - Duke 6, GWU 7
149 - #10 Mitch Finesilver (Duke) dec. Chris Vassar (GWU), 11-4 - Duke 9, GWU 7
157 - Ryan Mosley (GWU) dec. Connor Bass (Duke), 4-2, Duke 9, GWU 10
165 - Jake Faust (Duke) dec. Austin Trott (GWU), 5-2, Duke 12, GWU 10
174 - Brett Stein (GWU) dec. Brian Dorsey (Duke), 10-4, Duke 12, GWU 13
184 - Hunter Gamble (GWU) dec. Trey Adamson (Duke), 7-1, Duke 12, GWU 16
197 - #5 Conner Hartmann (Duke) fall TJ Henderson (GWU), 2:00, Duke 18, GWU 16
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