HOBOKEN, N.J. – Senior heavyweight Joe Murphy (St. James/Smithtown) posted a 3-1 victory in the final match to break a 16-16 team tie and the nationally 14th-ranked Cortland wrestling squad defeated host Stevens Institute of Technology, 19-16, in dual-match action.

Cortland is 16-3 on the season, one win shy of the school record for wins set during a 17-3 season in 1995-96. Four other Red Dragon teams have won 16 matches, most recently the 2006-07 squad that was 16-3. Cortland completes its dual-match season on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at nationally fourth-ranked Ithaca.

Murphy, ranked 10th nationally in Division III at heavyweight, won his match with a third-period takedown that snapped a 1-1 tie. He is 99-38 during his collegiate career, one win short of becoming the fifth Cortland wrestler with 100 career victories.

Cortland trailed 16-13 with two matches left, but senior Martino Sottile (Brentwood) tied the score with a 5-1 decision at 197 pounds.

Cortland led 9-0 two matches into the competition. Freshman Sean Kempf (Wantagh/MacArthur) earned a 17-6 major decision at 125 pounds and junior Aljamain Sterling (Uniondale), ranked 10th nationally at 133 pounds, won by a 17-0 technical fall.

Stevens' Ryan Bridge won by a 12-2 major decision at 141 pounds, but junior Stephen Perez (Bronx/Francis Lewis) answered with a 13-4 major decision at 149 pounds and the Red Dragons were up 13-4 with six matches remaining.

The host Ducks won the next four matches, however, to grab the lead. Charles Favia won 5-1 at 157 pounds, followed by Joe Favia's 7-5 decision at 165 pounds. Bobby Bishop posted a 4-1 win at 174 pounds and Vincent Termini held on for a 4-3 win at 184 pounds as Cortland's Will Parks (Longwood) was barely unable to escape for the tying point as time expired.

Cortland 19, Stevens Inst. 16

125 – Sean Kempf (COR) major dec. Brad Warren, 17-6
133 – Aljamain Sterling (COR) tech. fall Ryan Neugebauer, 17-0 (time n/a)
141 – Ryan Bridge (STEV) major dec. Mark Arcara, 12-2
149 – Stephen Perez (COR) major dec. Ryan Owens, 13-4
157 – Charles Favia (STEV) dec. Cory Mahoney, 5-1
165 – Joe Favia (STEV) dec. Will Brodfuehrer, 7-5
174 – Bobby Bishop (STEV) dec. Mike Ciaburri, 4-1
184 – Vincent Termini (STEV) dec. Will Parks, 4-3
197 – Martino Sottile (COR) dec. Ernie Guaimano, 5-1
HWT – Joe Murphy (COR) dec. James Roarty, 3-1

Exhibition Matches:
157 – Kevin Sackett (COR) pinned Azizbek Babakhanov, 1:38
165 – Jon Conroy (COR) pinned Will Sharkey, 1:42
197 – Carl Korpi (COR) pinned Chris Selvoski, 2:41