University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers Ready For Two Top-25 Showdowns
1/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Panthers Ready For Two Top-25 Showdowns
1/5/2005
PITTSBURGH?The Pittsburgh wrestling team will be back in action this weekend with two high-profile dual meets against top 25 schools. The No. 25 Panthers host No. 6 Lehigh at Fitzgerald Field House on Saturday, January 8 at 2 p.m. before visiting No. 16 Penn State on Sunday, January 9 at 3 p.m.
The Panthers' (1-1, 1-0 EWL) dual against the Nittany Lions on Sunday will be broadcast live by Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh and on CSTV (College Sports Television). Many intriguing matches highlight the two duals as the 2005 portion of the schedule gets underway.
In Saturday's dual against Lehigh (7-1), will see six of the nation's top 20 wrestlers in their respective weight classes with two showdowns between nationally ranked grapplers. At 133 pounds, No. 9 Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) will meet 10th-ranked Matt Ciasulli of the Mountain Hawks. Ciasulli is 11-1 this year but has not competed in any of the eight duals for Lehigh, while Headlee is 2-0 in duals and has a 13-5 mark overall.
The big matchup on Saturday is at 141 pounds with 3rd-ranked Cory Cooperman of the Mountain Hawks going against the Panthers' Ronald Tarquinio (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny), ranked fifth by InterMat.Tarquinio is 13-2 this year with losses to No. 1 Nate Gallick and No. 4 Andy Simmons. Cooperman is a perfect 8-0 with all of his wins coming in Lehigh duals. Cooperman won last year's bout at Lehigh by a 2-1 count.
Sunday's meet against Penn State will also have its share of quality matches. Tarquinio should square off against No. 18 DeWitt Driscoll after having defeated the PSU grappler 9-2 at the Mat Town Invitational in November. At 149 pounds, 12th-ranked James Woodall of the Nittany Lions will take on No. 16 Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) in Kocher's return home to the State College area.
Below are the projected starters for Pittsburgh, Lehigh and Penn State for this weekend's duals:
PITTSBURGH
125 Dave Morgan (FR, 6-5 overall record)
133 #9 Drew Headlee (SO, 13-5)
141 #5 Ronald Tarquinio (JR*, 13-2)
149 #16 Matt Kocher (SO, 18-4)
157 Keith Gavin (SO, 11-6)
165 Justin Nestor (JR*, 9-5)
174 Zachariah Doll (SR*, 11-6)
184 Eric Cassidy (SO, 4-8) or Michael Heist (SO, 2-8)
197 Lou Thomas (FR, 6-2)
HWT Zach Sheaffer (FR, 13-7)
LEHIGH
125 Andrew Rizzi (SR, 7-3)
133 #10 Matt Ciasulli (SO, 11-1)
141 #3 Cory Cooperman (JR, 8-0)
149 Matt Anderson (SO, 5-3)
157 #10 Derek Zinck (JR, 6-2)
165 #1 Troy Letters (JR, 5-0)
174 #15 Travis Frick (JR, 4-2)
184 Matt Cassidy (SO, 3-2)
197 #3 Jon Trenge (SR, 12-1)
HWT Paul Weibel (SO, 14-5)
PENN STATE
125 #15 Adam Smith (SR, 8-4)
133 Bryan Heller (FR, 11-6)
141 #18 DeWitt Driscoll (JR, 17-6)
149 #12 James Woodall (SR, 10-2)
157 #11 Nate Galloway (SO, 19-3)
165 Steven Troup (FR, 8-7)
174 James Yonushonis (SO, 7-5)
184 #6 Eric Bradley (JR, 12-1)
197 #18 Phil Davis (FR, 20-3) or Joel Edwards (JR, 13-8)
HWT Josh Walker (SR, 16-6)
