ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally 16th-ranked Cortland wrestling team completed its 2009-10 dual-meet season with a 24-12 loss at fourth-ranked Ithaca College. The Red Dragons finish with a 16-4 record and Ithaca is 20-1.

Both teams will compete at the nine-team Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference Championships on Saturday, Feb. 20, at RIT. The 10 league weight-class champions and five wild cards will qualify for the NCAA Div. III Championships.

Ithaca led 15-3 after six matches. Jon Gregory, ranked fifth nationally at 125 pounds, opened with a 4-0 win. Cortland tied the match when junior Aljamain Sterling (Uniondale), ranked 10th at 133 pounds, won 3-1 over third-ranked Chad Winowich. Sterling recorded a three-point near fall in the second period. Winowich started the third period on top but couldn't turn Sterling.

The Bombers won the next four matches, all by decision. Nationally sixth-ranked Jeremy Stierly won 6-2 at 141 pounds and top-ranked Blaine Woszczak was a 12-7 winner at 149 pounds. Willie Horwath edged Kevin Sackett (Webster/Webster Thomas) at 157 pounds, 5-4, and John Dale was an 8-6 winner over Will Brodfuehrer (Canastota) at 165 pounds. Horwath took a 5-2 lead on a third-period takedown and withstood a late reversal by Sackett. Dale's takedown with 37 seconds left broke a 6-6 tie.

Cortland started a comeback when senior Mike Ciaburri (Palmyra/Palmyra-Macedon) pinned his opponent in 1:40 at 174 pounds. Freshman Jared Myhrberg (Queensbury) followed with a 4-0 win at 184 pounds and the Red Dragons trailed 15-12. Ithaca, however, picked up a crucial 3-1 victory by David Sbriscia over nationally seventh-ranked Carl Korpi (Miller Place). Sbriscia scored the winning points on a takedown with 29 seconds left. The Bombers concluded the match with a forfeit win by Joe Goetz at heavyweight.

Ithaca 24, Cortland 12

125 – Jon Gregory (ITH) dec. Sean Kempf, 4-0
133 – Aljamain Sterling (COR) dec. Chad Winowich, 3-1
141 – Jeremy Stierly (ITH) dec. Mark Arcara, 6-2
149 – Blaine Woszczak (ITH) dec. Stephen Perez, 12-7
157 – Willie Horwath (ITH) dec. Kevin Sackett, 5-4
165 – John Dale (ITH) dec. Will Brodfuehrer, 8-6
174 – Mike Ciaburri (COR) pinned Joe Beach, 1:40
184 – Jared Myhrberg (COR) dec. Josue Mendez, 4-0
197 – David Sbriscia (ITH) dec. Carl Korpi, 3-1
HWT – Joe Goetz (ITH) won by forfeit