Spring Break
Wrestlers drop match to Lehigh
By: Chris Thomas
Issue date: 2/27/04 Section: Sports
Originally published: 2/27/04 at 12:06 AM EST
Last update: 2/27/04 at 12:25 AM EST
Originally published: 2/27/04 at 12:06 AM EST
Last update: 2/27/04 at 12:25 AM EST
Feb. 22 was Senior Day for the Drexel (9-14, 5-4 Colonial Athletic Association) wrestlers, but at least 100 Lehigh (20-4) supporters turned the Daskalakis Athletic Center brown and white as the sixth-ranked Mountain Hawks dealt the Dragons their fourth loss in a row, 33-6.
Drexel dropped to 0-11 all-time against Lehigh and have lost six of their last matches overall. Drexel head coach Jack Childs questioned the focus of his team, especially with the CAA championships March 5-6.
"You never want to look beyond Lehigh, but I think we were looking towards the conference championships," Childs said. "We knew Lehigh was tough, but I think they were using this as a stepping stone."
All seven of Lehigh's nationally-ranked wrestlers won their matches, and with the additional victory of the Mountain Hawks' Matt Anderson at 149 pounds, Lehigh's 33-0 lead was insurmountable.
Drexel wrestlers Rob Rebmann (12-3, 2-1 CAA at 125 pounds) and Chris Renninger (18-12 overall, 5-2 CAA, 18-11 at 141 pounds) both lost via major decision, while senior co-captain Joe Cristaldi (21-7, 4-4 CAA at 133 pounds) and Mark Cartella (22-14 overall, 6-3 CAA, 21-14 at 149 pounds) lost decisions, 7-3 and 9-3, respectively.
After Ray Lamb's (9-21 overall, 3-4 CAA, 8-20 at 157 pounds) loss via major decision, freshman Steve Beard (5-20 overall, 2-4 CAA, 5-18 at 165 pounds) was pinned by Lehigh's Troy Letters, and the score stood at 24-0. Lehigh head coach Greg Strobel had plenty of praise for the Dragons, despite the score.
"They're in good shape, they went after it well," Strobel said. "We were just a step ahead of them ... some of those matches, the scores look lopsided, but some of those matches were really close."
After a forfeit at 174 pounds by Drexel, senior Pat Shufelt (9-10, 2-1 CAA at 184 pounds) lost a close bout to Travis Frick, 5-4. The match was tied after regulation, but Frick earned a point for riding time advantage, sending the score to 33-0. Senior co-captain Chris Jones earned his team-leading 27th win of the season in the ninth match, winning a decision over the Mountain Hawks' Matt Cassidy, 5-1. Freshman heavyweight Chris Cowen followed in winning fashion, defeating Anthony Livecchi 7-4 to end the match.
Drexel dropped to 0-11 all-time against Lehigh and have lost six of their last matches overall. Drexel head coach Jack Childs questioned the focus of his team, especially with the CAA championships March 5-6.
"You never want to look beyond Lehigh, but I think we were looking towards the conference championships," Childs said. "We knew Lehigh was tough, but I think they were using this as a stepping stone."
All seven of Lehigh's nationally-ranked wrestlers won their matches, and with the additional victory of the Mountain Hawks' Matt Anderson at 149 pounds, Lehigh's 33-0 lead was insurmountable.
Drexel wrestlers Rob Rebmann (12-3, 2-1 CAA at 125 pounds) and Chris Renninger (18-12 overall, 5-2 CAA, 18-11 at 141 pounds) both lost via major decision, while senior co-captain Joe Cristaldi (21-7, 4-4 CAA at 133 pounds) and Mark Cartella (22-14 overall, 6-3 CAA, 21-14 at 149 pounds) lost decisions, 7-3 and 9-3, respectively.
After Ray Lamb's (9-21 overall, 3-4 CAA, 8-20 at 157 pounds) loss via major decision, freshman Steve Beard (5-20 overall, 2-4 CAA, 5-18 at 165 pounds) was pinned by Lehigh's Troy Letters, and the score stood at 24-0. Lehigh head coach Greg Strobel had plenty of praise for the Dragons, despite the score.
"They're in good shape, they went after it well," Strobel said. "We were just a step ahead of them ... some of those matches, the scores look lopsided, but some of those matches were really close."
After a forfeit at 174 pounds by Drexel, senior Pat Shufelt (9-10, 2-1 CAA at 184 pounds) lost a close bout to Travis Frick, 5-4. The match was tied after regulation, but Frick earned a point for riding time advantage, sending the score to 33-0. Senior co-captain Chris Jones earned his team-leading 27th win of the season in the ninth match, winning a decision over the Mountain Hawks' Matt Cassidy, 5-1. Freshman heavyweight Chris Cowen followed in winning fashion, defeating Anthony Livecchi 7-4 to end the match.
