VESTAL, N.Y. - Sixth-ranked Cornell flexed its muscle with eight wins in 10 bouts and the host Big Red posted a 33-6 win over Binghamton in the season-opening dual match for both teams Saturday night at Newman Arena.

The Bearcats grabbed the early momentum with two wins in the first three matches. Binghamton led 6-5 after wins from junior 125-pound David White and and redshirt freshman 141-pound Dylan Caruana. White, ranked sixth in the EIWA poll, improved to 5-2 on the season with a 4-3 decision over Bricker Dixon to open the evening. After Cornell countered with a technical fall at 133, Caruana gave BU the lead back with a 4-2 decision over Corey Dake and in the process, improved to 5-2 this season.

But from there it was all Cornell. The Big Red came out on top in three tight decisions and recorded two pins to accumulate the remainder of their 33 points.

Junior 149-pound Joe Bonaldi pushed No. 13 Chris Villalonga to overtime in a 4-2 loss. Senior 197-pound Cody Reed also lost a 4-2 decision to a 13th-ranked wrestler, Jace Bennett. Reed, 5-3 on the season, led 2-1 after two periods before Bennett rallied. Junior heavyweight Tyler Deuel was involved in the other close match, falling behind early before using three third-period takedowns to come up just shy, 7-6, against Styker Lane. 

On Sunday, BU will make a return trip to Ithaca for Sunday's New York State Intercollegiate Championship. There, the Bearcats will try to improve upon last year's seventh-place showing (out of 18 teams).

"Sunday's event features the top collegiate talent in New York," Dernlan said. "While there is a strong sense of pride to produce a strong performance, I think we as a staff have to balance the immediate event against the overall objective of being our best in March. We will have to make a quick assessment on the individual damage we incur in the dual Saturday in determining who we put on the mat Sunday morning."

No. 6 Cornell 33, Binghamton 6
125: David White (BING) dec. Bricker Dixon (COR), 4-3 Binghamton leads, 3-0
133:  No. 10 Mark Grey (COR) tech. fall Nick Tighe (BING), 18-3 Cornell leads, 5-3
141:  Dylan Caruana (BING) dec. Corey Dake 4-2, Binghamton leads, 6-5
149:  No. 13 Chris Villalonga (COR) dec. Joe Bonaldi (BING) 4-2 (OT), Cornell leads, 8-6
157:  No. 13 Brian Realbuto (COR) pinned Colton Perry (BING), 3:46 Cornell leads, 14-6
165: Dylan Palacio (COR) dec. Vincent Grella (BING) 10-6, Cornell leads, 17-6
174: Owen Scott (COR) major dec. John Paris (BING) 15-2, Cornell leads, 21-6
184:  No. 15 Gabe Dean (COR) pinned Caleb Wallace (BING), 2:52, Cornell leads 27-6
197: No. 13 Jace Bennett (COR) dec. Cody Reed (BING) 4-2, Cornell leads, 30-6
HWT: Stryker Lane (COR) dec. Tyler Deuel (BING) 7-6, Cornell leads 33-6

Attendance: 2,012