CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Ithaca College wrestling team was in impressive form on Thursday evening as they concluded their dual slate with a 31-14 win over Cortland. The Bombers close out the 2023-24 regular season winning eight-straight duals as they improved to 14-5 overall, while the Red Dragons dropped to 4-9.

It was a hard-fought battle to begin the dual at 125 lbs., but Cortland's J.C. Cardenas got the Red Dragons on the board first with the 17-2 tech fall over Cosmo Damiani. Down 5-0, Isaias Torres looked to score early and often as he racked up several impressive moves and kept Cody Merwin down on the mat and eventually scored the 18-3 tech fall to tie the team score going to 141 lbs.

Junior Matt Haycook battled Culley Bellino and both made it hard on each other to score as the first point was notched in the second period with Bellino getting the escape and that proved to be decisive as finished in a 1-0 decision. Matthew Beyer outclassed Noah Orser as he built a 16-2 advantage going into the third period. Beyer got another takedown 23 seconds into the third period and earned the 19-2 tech fall to put the Bombers up 10-8.

Wenchard Pierre-Louis got a quick takedown over Kyle Klein and led 5-0 after the first period and he made it hard on Klein to score from there as he ended up winning by that same margin to give the Bombers the 12-8 lead. Konrad Parker attacked his opponent's hip and connected on a nice shot to go up 3-0 over Hunter Hughes. Parker got another takedown in the second period and was up 6-2 after the first four minutes and eventually won via a 10-4 decision. Jackson Gray built a 13-1 lead before his opponent Patt Ross fell by injury default (6:07).

First year Jake Jones looked to garner an early first period pin but then it became a technical showdown with Jones building a 10-2 lead going into the third. Robby Cunningham wasn't able to mount much of an offensive attack against Jones as he fell to a 10-3 decision. The lone pin came at 197 lbs. with Ryan Galka getting the best of Roman Jellick in 4:45. The Red Dragons got the forfeit at 285 lbs., with Ithaca winning the dual, 31-14.

Next up, Ithaca College will travel to Rochester, N.Y. where they will compete in the NCAA Mideast Regional, which is slated to begin on Friday, March 1. The two-day regional with NCAA berths on the line will take place on the campus of RIT in Clark Gymnasium.

Ithaca 31, Cortland 14
125 lbs. - J.C. Cardenas (CORT) tech. fall Cosmo Damiani, 7:00 (17-2)
133 lbs. - Isaias Torres (ITH) tech. fall Cody Merwin, 7:00 (18-3)
141 lbs. - Culley Bellino (CORT) dec. Matt Haycook, 1-0
149 lbs. - Matthew Beyer (ITH) tech. fall Noah Orser, 5:23 (19-2)
157 lbs. - Wenchard Pierre-Louis (ITH) dec. Kyle Klein, 6-0
165 lbs. - Konrad Parker (ITH) dec. Hunter Hughes, 10-4
174 lbs. - Jackson Gray (ITH) won by injury default vs. Pat Ross, 6:07
184 lbs. - Jake Jones (ITH) dec. Robby Cunningham, 10-3
197 lbs. - Ryan Galka (ITH) pinned Roman Jellick, 4:45
285 lbs. - Dylan Houseknecht (CORT) won by forfeit
 
Exhibitions:
157 lbs. - Christian Paredes (CORT) dec. Aaron Nelson, 10-3
165 lbs - Brian Bienus (ITH) major dec. Justin Klein, 13-4