WR2-19

ESU-Lehigh Wrestling

BETHLEHEM - Jeremy Sluyter won a showdown at 125 pounds, but that was East Stroudsburg University's only victory in a 38-3 wrestling loss to Lehigh University Saturday in Grace Hall.

Sluyter defeated Bruce Kelly, 9-6, in a match between two nationally-ranked wrestlers. The ESU wrestler raised his record to 24-5 and virtually clinched the top seed for the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships (EIWA) March 3-4 at Navy.

The ESU senior dominated the match until near the end. He scored two takedowns in the first period for a 4-1 advantage and had an escape and another takedown in the second period to go ahead, 7-2. Kelly escaped in the third period and after a penalty point was assessed against Sluyter, scored a late takedown. Sluyter had a 1:53 riding time advantage.

Both wrestlers were ranked in the top 20 in this week's InterMat national poll with Kelly, who is now 20-9., 15th and Sluyter 16th. They also had met in the finals of the Sheridan Invitational at Lehigh in December with Sluyter scoring a 4-1 win.

The victory gave Sluyter 104 career wins and tied him for second place with Jim Vargo (1976-80) on the all-time ESU victory list. The leader is two-time NCAA champion Jack Cuvo (1985-89), who won 164 matches.

The Warriors didn't come close in any of the other nine matches as Lehigh, now a school-record 18-2 and 7-0 against EIWA opponents, scored two pins and had five major decisions.

ESU had hoped to get a win at heavyweight, but Rich Koehler bowed to Shawn Laughlin, 8-2. Laughlin and takedowns in all three periods and 3:30 riding time. Koehler's record dropped to 22-5.

The Warriors' other 20-win wrestler, Brad Kleckner (22-8) was outclassed at 141 pounds as he lost to Matt Goldstein, ranked 20th in the nation, 16-3.

Lehigh 38, ESU 3

125 - Jeremy Sluyter (ES) def. Bruce Kelly, 9-6

133 - Tristan Boyd (L) won by major decision over Mark Siwek, 11-3

141 - Matt Goldstein (L) won by major decision over Brad Kleckner, 16-3

#149 - Troy Manarovic (L) dec. Cory Kuncio, 9-3

157 - Chris Vitale (L) won by major decision over Mike Collins, 25-10

165 - Travis Doto (L) won by major decision over Tony Vitale, 10-0

174 - Mark Dufesne (L) won by major decision over Dan Roy, 16-6

184 - Rob Rohn (L) pinned Dan Madonna, 4:51

197 - Glauco-Lolli-Ghetti (L) pinned Brian McTigue, 1:55

285 - Shawn Laughlin (L) dec. Rich Koehler, 8-2

*match started at 149

Records: Lehigh 18-2, ESU 11-6

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