Duke erases 15-point lead to nip Sacred Heart by one in opener

Duke won five of the final six matches to beat Sacred Heart by one on Saturday in the season opening match for both teams. (Photo courtesy Duke Athletics)

DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 1, 2025 – Duke won five of the final six matches including one win in overtime as the Blue Devils rallied to erase an early 15-point deficit and beat Sacred Heart, 19-18 in the season opener for both schools Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Sacred Heart (0-1) won the first four matches of the bout to take a 15-0 lead, including a pair of one-point victories.

Duke (1-0) got on the board with Aurelius Dunbar’s 4-2 win over A.J. Falcone at 165 pounds. Tied at 3-3, Dunbar, a transfer from Penn State, escaped in the third period and Falcone was penalized for stalling and lost a point.

Duke’s Aidan Wallace (174) led 4-1 before Zarrella got a third period takedown to tie the match, 4-4. Wallace prevailed in the second OT with an escape to secure a 5-4 decision and cut the Pioneers’ lead to nine, 15-6.

Sacred Heart’s Chris Delena (197) earned a 10-6 victory but Duke’s Gaetano Console (184) and junior Connor Barket (285) each won by technical fall as Sacred Heart held a 18-16 lead with one match remaining. Barket is ranked No. 18 in the country by FloWrestling.

After a scoreless first period at 125 pounds, Duke’s Riley Rowan escaped early in the second period for a 1-0 lead over Sacred Heart’s Joe Clem. Rowan controlled Clem in the third period to earn a second point for riding time and Rowan’s 2-0 win was enough for Duke to secure the win, 19-18.

It was a tough loss for the Pioneers, who dropped their 18th straight dual match dating back to match No. 2 last season.

Sacred Heart built a 15-0 lead on four consecutive wins. Braxton Fries Appello (133) won by a technical fall, 18-2, in three minutes while John Hildebrandt (141) edged Duke’s Raymond Adam, 3-2.

Dakota Asuncion (149) beat Duke’s SP O’Donnell, 17-5 and Felix Lettini (157) outlasted Duke freshman Mikey Boulanger (Milford, Mass.), 7-6.

It was the third meeting between the two schools with Duke winning all three.

It’s the first one -point loss for the Pioneers since a 19-18 loss to Long Island on Nov. 12, 2022. The last one-point win for Sacred Heart was a 17-16 win over American in the season opener on Nov. 6, 2021.

Sacred Heart returns to action next Sunday, Nov. 9 at the Journeyman Classic in Bethlehem, Pa.

Duke 19, Sacred Heart 18
At Durham, N.C.
133: Braxton Fries-Appello (S) tech fall John King, 18-2, 3:00
141: John Hildebrandt (S) dec. Raymond Adam, 3-2
149: Dakota Asuncion (S) dec. SP O’Donnell, 17-5
157: Felix Lettini (S) dec. Mikey Boulanger, 7-6
165: Aurelius Dunbar (D) dec. AJ Falcone, 4-2
174: Aidan Wallace (D) dec. Aiden Zarrella, 5-4, OT
184: Gaetano Console (D) tech fall Eric Wolf, 21-5, 5:16
197: Chris Delena (S) dec. Owen McGrory, 10-6
285: Connor Barket (D) tech fall Brendan Gilchrist, 19-2, 5:36
125: Riley Rowan (D) dec. Joe Clem, 2-0
Records: Duke 1-0, Sacred Heart 0-1