College Wrestling
#17 Lehigh University 31, Rider University 3
BETHLEHEM, PA-The Broncs began the season with a loss at nationally ranked Lehigh Sunday. "This is a pretty tough first test, but it is good for a reality check," said Rider head coach Gary Taylor. "We were in a lot of matches. We were competitive with them. I think Lehigh is better than 17th. They have the entire team back from the team that beat Oklahoma State (ranked 5th) last year."
For Rider, senior Michael Kessler (Randallstown, MD/Owings Mills) won at 149. Kessler moved down a weight class this year and began the season ranked first in the Colonial Athletic Association and 12th in the nation.
"Mike wrestled pretty well for the first time out," Taylor said. "I think he can wrestle better. Give the Lehigh kid credit, he wrestled Mike tough. He's a tough Pennsylvania kid. He's good."
Kessler is a three-time national qualifier with 75 career wins.
Senior Ed Bordas (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) lost to the sixth ranked heavyweight in the nation 5-2. Bordas trailed 3-2 with 10 seconds left and went for a takedown for the win before losing. "It was 3-2 and Ed had to go for the take down, so that is why it ended up 5-2," Taylor said. "He went for a takedown that really wasn't there but he had to try it."
Bordas is a two-time CAA Champion and NCAA qualifier and began the season ranked first in the CAA and 19th in the nation.
Junior Rob Morrison (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff), who red-shirted last season, lost in overtime. "Robbie had it won," Taylor said. "He had to ride the kid out the rest of the way but the kid escaped at the end to take it into overtime. But he wrestled well."
Lehigh was 23-1 last year and finished second in the EIWA, 28th at the NCAA Championships, and return eight starters.
"You get a lot out of wrestling nationally ranked teams and nationally ranked wrestlers," Taylor said.
Lehigh leads the all-time series against Rider, having won 14 of the last 19 meetings. Rider's most recent victory came in the 2006-07 season opener. Lehigh now owns an 8-3 record versus the Broncs in duals wrestled in Bethlehem, with Rider not having won at Lehigh since 1994.
"We looked good in areas and we have a ways to go in other areas," Taylor said.
The Broncs take to the mats again November 15 at the Binghamton Open. "We'll have almost the entire team there," Taylor said. "This will give us an opportunity to look at some kids who are very close to being in the starting line-up, see them in competition rather than just practice," Taylor said.
