After grabbing two tough road wins against top-10 opponents last weekend, the ISU wrestling team will throw itself right back into the fire this weekend.

The No. 2 Cyclones (9-2, 2-0 Big 12) will head to Ithaca, N.Y. in search of their fourth-straight dual win when they take on No. 6 Cornell (3-3-1) this Sunday.

“Cornell matches up with us very, very well,” sad coach Kevin Jackson. “I think it’s going to be a strong match, it’s going to be an entertaining match, it’s going to be a fun match and one we’re looking forward to.”

Aside from some individual match ups at last year’s Cliff Keen National Duals, Iowa State and Cornell haven’t faced each other in a dual since 1959. The all-time series is locked at 1-1.

Jackson and Cornell coach Rob Koll go back a number of years as members of international wrestling squads. Jackson said Koll wanted to get the teams back together and this season won’t be the last time they meet in the near future.

“He kind of went above and beyond trying to help us get out there,” Jackson said. “It worked out for us and we’re going to look forward to that relationship continuing.”

Freshman Andrew Long (125) will face defending NCAA champion Troy Nickerson in what could be the marquis match up of the dual. Nickerson is currently rated second in the nation while Long is ranked fifth.

“For Long, it’s a great opportunity to wrestle the defending national champion,” Jackson said. “We’ll throw him out there and hopefully he performs at a high level and gives himself a chance to win that match. I think it’s going to tell us exactly where Andrew Long is in his hunt to be the national champion.”

Cornell boasts two top-ranked wrestlers in Kyle Dake (141) and Mack Lewnes (174), who will offer interesting match ups for the Cyclones. Sophomore Dalton Jensen will take on Dake in his first match as the official 141-pound starter after Nick Gallick had a season-ending hip surgery on Friday.

“Now that he [Jensen] knows he’s the guy, I’m sure he’ll be even more focused and determined to get better in his areas,” Jackson said. “For him it’s really exciting and for us it’s exciting too.”

The Cyclones will either bring senior Duke Burk or redshirt freshman Chris Spangler to the mat against Lewnes. Burk hasn’t recorded a dual win since Nov. 12 and Spangler has since seen action in a few meets.

The possible rematches from the 2009 Cliff Keen Duals will be senior Nick Fanthorpe (133) against Mike Grey and top-ranked senior Jake Varner (197) against Cam Simaz. Grey defeated Fanthorpe 7-5 in overtime while Varner defeated Simaz by way of injury default.

Cornell is coming off a 15-15 tie against No. 8 Lehigh on Jan. 22. They have picked up dual wins against Wisconsin and Missouri and split two matches with Maryland.

The dual is scheduled to begin at noon from Newman Arena in Ithaca.