March16

ST. LOUIS - East Stroudsburg University's Jeremy Sluyter won his first match, but then was beaten by the top-seeded wrestler at 125 pounds in the NCAA Wrestling Championships Thursday at the Kiel Center. He is still alive in the consolations.

Sluyter, who is unseeded, defeated Alexis Rivera of Northern Illinois, 7-2, in the first round. Rivera was a wild card selection from the Mid American Conference.

In the first period, Sluyter took Rivera down and tilted him to the mat for a two-point near a fall and a 4-0 lead. He then escaped in the second to build a 5-0 advantage heading to the third and final period. In that period, Sluyter rode Rivera and built up a riding time point to further increase his lead. Rivera had a late takedown, and Sluyter an escape to provide for the final 7-2 score.

In the second round, the ESU senior, now 27-7, fell to Jody Strittmatter of Iowa, who came into the match with a 26-1 record. Strittmatter was a former PIAA state champion from Cambria Heights High School who won two NCAA Division II titles for Pitt-Johnstown before transferring to Iowa this year.

The match was tight in the early going, with Strittmatter grabbing a 2-0 lead late in the first period. Sluyter elected to take down in the second period and evened the score at 2-2 with an escape. Strittmatter responded with a takedown and then rode Sluyter out to lead going to the third.

In the final period, Strittmatter took down and escaped, and followed that with another takedown. He received an additional point for riding time to finish off the 7-2 victory and send Sluyter to the consolation bracket.

Sluyter will be back in action Friday as he attempts to make a run through the consolation bracket and become ESU's first All-America since Jack Cuvo and Anibal Nieves both turned the trick in 1989.

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