Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh in second place
9/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Wrestling
Kansas City, MO - Alhough first round results can be deceiving, Lehigh Wrestling took another giant step forward with a continuation of bonus points which helped the team stand in second place after the preliminary round of the NCAA Tournament. Oklahoma State leads with 19.5, to Lehigh (16), Illinois in 3rd (15), Oklahoma in 4th (14.5) and Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan State tied for fifth place with 12.5 points each.
Leading the way with first round falls were Terrance Clendenin (125), Derek Zinck (157) and Troy Letters (165). Terrance and Troy made short work of their opponents, as Clendenin used a cement mixer last seen in the finals by Rob Rohn to deck 12th seed Vic Moreno of Cal Poly. The move started in the first four seconds and it was over in just 19, for the one of the fastest falls in NCAA history. Letters took little more time—just 77 seconds off his patented crab ride, while Zinck was wearing out his Wolf Pack rival with six takedowns and two stall points before putting him away.
Adding a major decision (worth one point, to two for falls) was Jon Trenge, who majored Boise’s K.C. Walsh 8-0 on two takedowns, one near fall, an escape and riding time. Brad Dillon met tough resistance from Chris Carlino of Cal-Fullerton, scoring a takedown, escape and 1:01 time advantage for his 4-1 decision. This gives Lehigh five of eight qualifiers still unbeaten in the tourney.
Second round matchups: Clendenin meets #5 Nick Simmons, Michigan St; Zinck faces Pitt’s Justin Nestor; Letters meets Purdue’s Oscar Santiago; Dillon faces #10 Curtis Owen, Arizona State and Trenge meets Ryan Bader of Arizona State. Frick and Sahl remain alive in wrestle-backs.
As always, there were many disappointments among seeded wrestlers in the first round of the tourney, with the 133 lb class leading the way. Fourth-seed Witt Durden of Oklahoma, a two-time NCAA third and the Number five seed and All-American, Zach Roberson, were defeated in Round One, while Lehigh’s Cory Cooperman was withdrawn by Lehigh’s coaches and trainer two hours before weigh-ins, due to medical concerns about his physical condition.
Second round action will begin at 7:30 pm EST.
LEHIGH RESULTS IN FIRST ROUND – NCAAs
125-Terrance Clendenin WBF 0:19 #12 seed Vic Moreno, Cal Poly
157-#7 Derek Zinck WBF 5:45 Chris DiGiuseppe, North Carolina St
165-#2 Troy Letters WBF 1:17 Ben Baca, Fresno St
174-#7 Brad Dillon dec. Chris Carlino, Cal St-Fullerton, 4-1
184-Pete Friedl, Illinois major dec. #11 Travis Frick, 13-5
197-#1 Jon Trenge major dec. K.C. Walsh, Boise St, 8-0
Hwt-#2 Kevin Hoy, Air Force WBF 5:51 Joe Sahl
