University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Rider
NO. 25 PITT DEFEATS RIDER IN SEASON OPENER
11/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 14, 2006
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - The Pitt wrestling team traveled to Rider University for its season opener this evening. The Panthers (1-0) won six of ten bouts tonight against the Broncs (1-1) to earn their first dual win of the year, 21-13.
The Panthers started off strong as true freshman Jimmy Conroy (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) won a 10-3 decision over Rider's Thomas Lorenzo to give Pitt a three-point lead. Next, redshirt junior Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) returned to the mat after a redshirt season to win by a fall. He pinned Rider's Matt Bradley at the 6:24 mark to put the Panthers up, 9-0.
Rider then went on to win the next two bouts as Don Fisch won a 4-2 decision over Pitt's Joe Ciampoli (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) and Mike Kessler defeated Pitt freshman Mark Generalovich (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson). The Panthers were ahead, 9-6, going into the 157-pound bout.
Redshirt junior Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) won an 8-2 decision over Rider's Dave Miller to put Pitt ahead by six. Redshirt sophomore Sean Richmond (Emmaus, Pa./Easton) kept Pitt's momentum going, winning a 6-3 decision over Rider's Rob Morrison, and redshirt junior Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) won an 8-6 decision over Rider's Doug Umbehauer to put the Panthers up, 18-6.
The Broncs won the next two matches as Rider's Mike Miller won a 6-3 decision over Pitt senior Mike Heist (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) and T.J. Morrison won a 10-2 major decision over Eric Cassidy (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny). The Panthers will still in the lead, 18-13, going into the final bout. Redshirt sophomore Zach Sheaffer (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) won a 7-2 decision over Rider's Nick Ciufo to give Pitt the 21-13 win.
The Panthers will head to the Cornell Body Bar this weekend and return to Pittsburgh next week for their home opener. They'll face EWL opponent Bloomsburg on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.
(#25) Pitt 21, Rider 13
125: Jimmy Conroy (P) dec. Thomas Lorenzo (R), 10-3 [3-0, Pitt]
133: Drew Headlee (P) WBF Matt Bradley (R), 6:24 [9-0, Pitt]
141: Don Fisch (R) dec. Joe Ciampoli (P), 4-2 [9-3, Pitt]
149: Mike Kessler (R) dec. Mark Generalovich (P), 10-3 [9-6, Pitt]
157: Matt Kocher (P) dec. Dave Miller (R), 8-2 [12-6, Pitt]
165: Sean Richmond (P) dec. Rob Morrison (R), 6-3 [15-6, Pitt]
174: Keith Gavin-P dec. Doug Umbehauer (R), 8-6 [18-6, Pitt]
184: Mike Miller-R dec. Mike Heist (P), 6-3 [18-9, Pitt]
197: T.J. Morrison-R maj. dec. Eric Cassidy (P), 10-2 [18-13, Pitt]
285: Zach Sheaffer (P) dec. Nick Ciufo (R), 7-2 [21-13, Pitt]
