LHU Opens NCAA Championship Action

Perry, Neff and Garcia Drop First Round Bouts

ST. LOUIS – The Lock Haven University wrestling team opened the 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships earlier today at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Ronnie Perry (Christiana, Pa./Solanco), Dan Neff(Quarryville, Pa./Solanco) and Fred Garcia (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) were all in today in front of 18,383 strong, who turned out for Session 1 of the three-day tournament.

All three Bald Eagles had tough First Round opponents, as each drew a seeded wrestler.

Perry (133) scored a late third-period takedown and pushed No. 3 seed Cory Clark of Iowa to the limit, but fell 7-5. A late first-period reversal by Perry made it 5-3 after one, and trailing 6-3 late in the match, Perry used a quick duck under to make it 6-5, as time ran down in the bout. Clark would go on to tack on a riding-time point.

Neff (149) fell to No. 2 seed and returning National Champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern, 8-2. Tsirtsis earned a quick first-period takedown and led 2-1 after one. Neff looked to be the aggressor and pushed the pace throughout the second, but couldn’t score despite several strong shots.

At 184, Michigan’s Domenic Abounader, the eighth seed and Big Ten Champion pinned Garcia (5:52).

Perry, Neff and Garcia return to action tonight (Thursday, March 19) at 7 p.m. (Session 2).

Perry will get Rider’s Robert Deutsch in a rematch of the EWL final. Deutsch won 3-2 and is 2-0 vs. Perry this season.

Neff will take on Ryan Mosley of Gardner-Webb and Garcia faces Wyoming’s Ben Stroh.

The 2015 NCAA Division Wrestling Championships run through Saturday night’s finals.