CORTLAND, N.Y. - The nationally eighth-ranked Cortland wrestling team won a pair of dual matches Saturday afternoon, 22-17 over 21st-ranked Messiah and 42-3 versus Rochester Institute of Technology. In the other match of the day, Messiah defeated RIT, 42-6. The Red Dragons improved to 6-0 with the wins. The Falcons are now 3-2, while the Tigers fell to 2-3.

In Cortland's opening match against Messiah, the Red Dragons didn't seal the win until freshman Joey Giaramita (Elwood/John H. Glen) earned a 7-0 decision at 285 pounds in the final bout of the match. Cortland took a quick 6-0 lead on freshman Nigel McNeil's (Huntington Station/Huntington) pin in 41 seconds at 125 pounds. McNeil is ranked fifth nationally. At 133, Messiah freshman Kaleb Loht (McClure, PA/Indian Valley) won a 7-2 decision to make it 6-3. Cortland sophomore Brian Bistis (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) answered with an 8-2 decision at 141 pounds before senior Ty Kanouff (Linden, PA/Jersey Shore) earned an 11-2 major decision for the Falcons at 149 pounds to make it a 9-7 Cortland advantage.

The Red Dragons boosted their lead to 16-7 on a 13-3 major decision by nationally third-ranked Troy Sterling (Uniondale) at 157 pounds and a 9-2 decision by junior Jonathan Conroy (South Plainfield, NJ) at 165 pounds. The Falcons took the lead, however, when senior Matt Cross (Bel Air, MD) recorded an 11-3 major decision at 174 pounds and senior Tim Stewart (Silver Springs, MD/Paint Branch) earned a pin in 6:21 at 184 pounds to make it 17-16 in favor of Messiah with two weight classes remaining.

At 197 pounds, junior Jared Myhrberg (Queensbury), ranked fifth nationally, raised his record to 16-0 when he scored the decisive team points with a 10-4 win, giving Cortland a 19-17 edge. Giaramita sealed the team win with his decision at 285 pounds, earning takedowns in each period and adding a point on riding time.

Against RIT, Cortland won the first six weight classes to jump out to a commanding 33-0 lead. McNeil registered his second pin of the day in 2:03 to open the match at 125 pounds, improving his record to 17-2 on the season. Junior Sean Kempf (Wantagh/MacArthur) followed with a pin in 2:33 at 133 pounds. Bistis recorded a 16-4 major decision at 141 pounds before junior Andre Berry (Uniondale) earned an 18-0 technical fall after the first period at 149 pounds.

Sophomore Jake Beichner (Williamsville/Williamsville East) recorded a pin in 2:15 at 157 pounds, and Conroy pinned his opponent in 4:21 at 165 pounds. The Tigers earned their only decision at 174 pounds. Junior Nick Fuschino (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) registered four takedowns in a 10-5 decision. At 184 pounds, Cortland freshman Mike McGrath (Kingston) earned the closest decision of the match, 4-3, over junior Tyler Brent (Gasport/Royalton-Hartland). McGrath scored the deciding points with two second-period takedowns. Senior Carl Korpi (Miller Place) pushed Cortland's lead to 39-3 with a 10-4 decision at 197 pounds, and junior Corey James (Kingston), ranked seventh nationally, closed out the match with a 5-1 decision at 285 pounds.

Cortland 22, Messiah 17

125 - Nigel McNeil (CORT) pinned Danny Lethbridge, :41
133 - Kaleb Loht (MESS) dec. Sean Kempf, 7-2
141 - Brian Bistis (CORT) dec. Victor Bracey, 8-2
149 - Ty Kanouff (MESS) major dec. Andre Berry, 11-2
157 - Troy Sterling (CORT) major dec. Devin Anderson, 13-3
165 - Jonathan Conroy (CORT) dec. Ben Kramer, 9-2
174 - Matt Cross (MESS) major. dec. William Maldonado, 11-3
184 - Tim Stewart (MESS) pinned Will Parks, 6:21
197 - Jared Myhrberg (CORT) dec. Russell Jones, 10-4
285 - Joey Giaramita (CORT) dec. Mike DiOrio, 7-0

(No exhibition matches)

Records after match: Cortland (Red Dragons) 5-0 (ranked 8th in Div. III); Messiah (Falcons) 2-2 (ranked 21st in Div. III)

Messiah 42, RIT 6

125 - Danny Lethbridge (MESS) dec.Shin Wakayabashi, 10-3 
133 - Kaleb Loht (MESS) pinned Rory Bruce, 5:31
141 - Chris Williamson (MESS) pinned Jake Harvey, 1:18
149 - Ty Kanouff (MESS) tech. fall Adam Hugunine, 20-4 (4:24)
157 - Devin Anderson (MESS) pinned Nick Fisk, 1:59
165 - Ben Kramer (MESS) major dec. Colin Doane, 10-2
174 - Matt Cross (MESS) dec. Nick Fuschino, 8-2
184 - Tim Stewart (MESS) dec. Tyler Brent, 9-2
197 - Charles Jones (MESS) pinned Dave Sickler, 4:56
285 - Nick Stewart (RIT) pinned Mike DiOrio, :52

(No exhibition matches)

Records after match: Messiah (Falcons) 3-2 (ranked 21st in Div. III); RIT (Tigers) 2-2

Cortland 42, RIT 3

125 - Nigel McNeil (CORT) pinned Shin Wakabayashi, 2:03
133 - Sean Kempf (CORT) pinned Rory Bruce, 2:33
141 - Brian Bistis (CORT) major dec. Jake Harvey, 16-4
149 - Andre Berry (CORT) tech. fall Adam Hugunine, 18-0 (3:00)
157 - Jake Beichner (CORT) pinned Nick Fisk, 2:15
165 - Jonathan Conroy (CORT) pinned Colin Doane, 4:21
174 - Nick Fuschino (RIT) dec. Justin Signorelli, 10-5
184 - Mike McGrath (CORT) dec. Tyler Brent, 4-3
197 - Carl Korpi (CORT) dec. Tim Thurnau, 7-1
285 - Corey James (CORT) dec. Nick Stewart, 5-1

(No exhibition matches)

Records after match: Cortland (Red Dragons) 6-0 (ranked 8th in Div. III); RIT (Tigers) 2-3