CEDAR FALLS – Cornell's men's wrestling team took third place in the 17-24 consolation bracket after splitting two duals during Saturday's final day at the NWCA Duals inside the UNI-Dome.
 
Coach Brent Hamm's Rams battled 20th-ranked New York University (NYU) in a 26-20 semifinal loss. Cornell came back to beat Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) by a 25-20 margin for third.
 
On Friday, Cornell fell 23-16 to No. 19 Wabash and defeated Concordia Moorhead, 31-14.
 
Cornell's 11th-ranked Brian Petry (165 pounds) and 14th-ranked Jackson Brinker (197) both finished 4-0 on the weekend to pace the Rams, who moved to 4-6 in dual competition.
 
Petry posted two technical falls (20-5 vs. NYU, 21-5 vs. RIT) Saturday to raise his season record to 14-5. Brinker scored a 16-1 technical fall against NYU and majored his RIT opponent, 10-2. He improved to 15-2.
 
The Rams won six matches against RIT, including an 18-0 technical fall from 125-pounder Jase Van Pelt. Nolan Howell (14-6 at 157) and Landen Schemmel (19-5 at 184) claimed major decisions, while Truman Folkers prevailed 4-3 at 133.  
 
Cornell fought to the end against NYU, despite trailing 17-0 to start the dual.
 
The Rams piled on bonus points in each of their four match wins, highlighted by a fall in 1:45 from junior heavyweight Braydon Hoffman in the final bout.
 
Cornell's 14th-ranked AJ Parrish rolled to a 12-1 major decision at 157. He finished 3-0 in the tournament, boosting his season mark to 14-4.  
 
NYU picked up a key win at 141 with James Carlock edging Cornell's Jayden Rael, 6-3, in sudden victory. The Violets received 17 points from their three nationally-ranked wrestlers at 125 (18-1 technical fall), 133 (pin in 4:16) and 174 (pin in 2:17).
 
Coming up – The Rams host the Cliff Keen-Mike Duroe Invitational next Saturday, Jan. 17 in the Small Athletic and Wellness Center Arena. Action gets underway at 9 a.m.