SOURCE: cornellbigred.com

December 05, 2021

Yianni Diakomihalis claimed the Las Vegas Invite title, the second of his career, to lead @BigRedWrestling to seventh as a team. Four Cornell grapplers reached the podium. #YellCornell

(📸: Eldon Lindsay/Cornell Athletics) pic.twitter.com/emw8KYdl4y

— Cornell Big Red (@CornellSports) December 5, 2021

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Junior Yianni Diakomihalis became the fifth Cornell wrestler to claim multiple titles at the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, knocking off No. 2 ranked Sammy Sasso of Ohio State in the featured match on Saturday evening. The Big Red took seventh place overall with 81 points, earning a pair of third-place finishers and a fourth to go along with Diakomihals' win.

Diakomihalis used a first period takedown to set the tone and the two-time NCAA champion reversed the Ohio State star in each of the final two periods to remain unbeaten on the season (6-0) at 149 pounds. The victory was the fourth already this year against nationally ranked grapplers. His biggest test came in the semifinals when he needed a takedown in sudden victory to top No. 12 Ridge Lovett of Nebraska.

Both freshman Chris Foca (174) and sophomore Jonathan Loew (184) took third at their weight class and Julian Ramirez finished fourth at 165 to each finish on the podium.

Foca rebounded from a second round loss to win six straight in the back draw to take third, defeating No. 16 Cade Devos of South Dakota State 8-2 in the final match. He topped three straight nationally ranked opponents to fight back ot third. Loew also added three wins over ranked foes to his resume en route to third, topping Wyoming's 11th-ranked Tate Samuelson 6-4 to claim third. Ramirez suffered a pair of losses to No. 9 Carson Karchla of Ohio State, but otherwise earned two wins over ranked foes, including a 9-6 victory over No. 10 Cameron Amine of Michigan.

Both Dom LaJoie (133) and Jacob Cardenas (197) lost in the blood round and were eliminated after a pair of losses to ranked grapplers. LaJoie picked up a pair of victories by fall.

Adam Santoro won a pair of matches on Friday at 157, but lost to two wrestlers ranked in the top 16 nationally to be eliminated. Greg Diakomihalis (125), Cole Handlovic (141) and Drew Flynn (285) also suited up for the Big Red in the lineup.
Wrestling continues at 9 p.m. ET.