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Ayala Claims Another Nationally Ranked Victory; Cornell Earns Wrestling Win
January 31, 2015 | Wrestling
Junior Abram Ayala had already earned multiple wins over Top 20 opponents this season, and he picked up another one Friday evening in Ithaca. The 10th-ranked Ayala defeated No. 13 Jace Bennett 10-4 in the highlight match of a 29-9 victory for No. 4 Cornell Friday night in the Tigers' Ivy opener.
Ayala was the early aggressor, claiming a double leg takedown in the first period to open a quick lead, then he hit a five-point reversal in the second period to open a 7-1 advantage, Bennett managed a reversal, but Ayala wouldn't allow anything more than an escape after that to clinch an impressive 10-4 victory.
Ayala joined sophomores Jordan Laster and Ray O'Donnell as winners Friday night. After Princeton dropped the first two matches to nationally ranked opponents, Laster earned an 8-5 win at 141 over Logan David. Like Ayala, he set the pace early with a takedown, and added two others in the middle period to take control. David tried to turn Laster late, but the Tiger two-year starter fought off every attempt to put the Tigers on the scoreboard.
Cornell ran off three straight wins via Top 12 wrestlers to take control of the team match, but Ayala and O'Donnell gave Princeton a strong finish. Following Ayala's 10-4 win, O'Donnell won a wild 9-8 decision at 285 over Jacob Aiken-Phillips to conclude the evening.
Unlike the previous two winners, O'Donnell actually gave up the first takedown to trail, but he hit a reversal in the opener to even the score. He had an early reversal in the second and a well-timed takedown late that period to lead 8-5. Aiken-Phillips escaped in the third and then added a takedown to even the score, but O'Donnell escaped with fewer than 20 seconds remaining to claim the 9-8 win.
Princeton will be back on the mat Saturday night when it takes on Franklin & Marshall in Lancaster, Pa.
Cornell 29, Princeton 9
125: #3 Nahshon Garrett (C) won by technical fall over Ryan Cash (P), 18-3
133: #15 Mark Grey (C) won by major decision over Jordan Reich (P), 15-6
141: Jordan Laster (P) won by decision Logan David (C), 8-5
149: #8 Chris Villalonga (C) won by tech fall over Nick Maselli (P), 16-0
157: #6 Brian Ralbuto (C) won by decision over Rich Eva (P), 8-1
165: #11 Dylan Palacio (C) won by decision over Jonathan Schleifer (P), 11-5
174: Duke Pickett (C) won by decision over Judd Ziegler (P), 8-3
184: #1 Gabe Dean (C) won by fall over Brett Harner (P), 4:41
197: #10 Abe Ayala (P) won by decision over #13 Jace Bennett (C), 10-4
285: Ray O'Donnell (P) won by decision over Jacob Aiken-Phillips (C), 9-8