SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – The nationally third-ranked Cortland wrestling team finished fourth at the 16-team NWCA/Cliff Keen Div. III National Duals after dropping a 26-19 decision to second-ranked Elmhurst College in the semifinals and losing to fifth-ranked Centenary College (N.J.), 20-18, in the third-place match. The Red Dragons went 2-2 at the tournament, which featured the top 10 ranked teams in the country, and are now 11-2 on the season.

Elmhurst won the first three matches, two by pin, to take an early 15-0 lead. Cortland came back with a 16-8 major decision by nationally third-ranked Bobby Dierna (Webster/Wayne) at 149 pounds, a 6-5 win by senior Jonathan Conroy (South Plainfield, NJ) at 165 pounds and a pin by sophomore Lou Puca (Huntington) in 2:52 at 174 pounds to pull within five at 18-13. Puca is ranked eighth nationally.

A major decision for Elmhurst pushed the lead to 22-13 with two matches remaining. Cortland senior and nationally top-ranked Jared Myhrberg (Queensbury) kept the Red Dragons' hopes alive with a pin 36 seconds into the first sudden-victory overtime period at 197 pounds.

Myhrberg trailed by a point in the third period before recording a takedown with 17 seconds left. A riding time point tied the match for Elmhurst before Myhrberg recorded his overtime pin, which cut Cortland's deficit to 22-19. Elmhurst finished the match with a major decision at 285 pounds.

Cortland fell behind 4-0 after one weight class in the third-place match versus Centenary before winning three straight contests. Freshman Alec Dierna (Webster/Webster Schroeder) won 2-1 at 133 pounds, junior and nationally ninth-ranked Brian Bistis (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) was a 7-4 winner at 141 pounds and Bobby Dierna posted a 16-3 major decision at 149 pounds to put the Red Dragons up 10-4.

Centenary responded with three wins, one by major decision, to take a 14-10 lead. Puca won 3-0 at 184 pounds to bring Cortland within 14-13 and Myhrberg earned a 21-5 technical fall at 197 pounds to give the Red Dragons an 18-14 lead. Centenary, however, won the match when nationally sixth-ranked Joe Zitone registered a pin at 285 pounds.

Cortland will host the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference (ECWC) Championships on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 9 a.m. Unlike previous years, the ECWC Championships do not serve an individual NCAA qualifier this season since the NCAA has switched to a regional qualifying tournament format. Cortland is the defending ECWC champion and has won five league titles overall.

Cortland Match Results

Elmhurst 26, Cortland 19

125 – Lillashawn Coleman (ELM) pinned Paul Fields, 0:32
133 – Dalton Bullard (ELM) pinned Alec Dierna, 6:56
141 – Ryan Earley (ELM) dec. Brian Bistis, 6-3
149 – Bobby Dierna (CORT) major dec. James Spangler, 16-8
157 – Alex Maynard (ELM) dec. Troy Sterling, 12-6
165 – Jonathan Conroy (CORT) dec. Yousef Al-Ghoul, 6-5
174 – Lou Puca (CORT) pinned Danny Balderas, 2:52
184 – Josef Rau (ELM) major dec. Justin Signorelli, 15-4
197 – Jared Myhrberg (CORT) pinned Mike Benefiel, 7:36 (ot, sv-1)
285 – Jack Lewis (ELM) major dec. Andy Scopino, 11-3

Centenary 20, Cortland 18

125 – Erick Orellana (CENT) major dec. Paul Fields, 16-2
133 – Alec Dierna (CORT) dec. Zachory Huxford, 2-1
141 – Brian Bistis (CORT) dec. Corey Vernon, 7-4
149 – Bobby Dierna (CORT) major dec. Craig Montgomery, 16-3
157 – Chris Burdge (CENT) dec. Troy Sterling, 7-3
165 – Owen Vernon (CENT) dec. Jonathan Conroy, 4-0
174 – Kevin Dufresne (CENT) major dec. Justin Signorelli, 12-4
184 – Lou Puca (CORT) dec. Khalid Shakir, 3-0
197 – Jared Myhrberg (CORT) tech. fall Joe Ragsdale, 5:54 (21-5)
285 – Joseph Zitone (CENT) pinned Francisco DeCristo, 4:39