LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The Lock Haven University wrestling team won three of the first five bouts tonight, but it wasn't enough for the Bald Eagles, who dropped their 2013-14 Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) opener to No. 22 Rider, 23-12.
 
Lock Haven (2-2, 0-1 EWL) won three of the first five matches on the night, including three straight at 141, 149 and 157, but it wasn't enough to upset Rider (4-1, 1-0 EWL).
 
Tonight's match was the first-ever EWL dual for Rider, who joined the conference last May.
 
No. 17 Dan Neff (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco), Mac Maldarelli (Merrick, N.Y./Nassau C.C.), Billy Randt (York, Pa./West York) and No. 14 Fred Garcia (Donora, Pa./Ringgold) all won tonight for the Bald Eagles.
 
Trailing 9-0 after losses at 125 and 133 by pin and decision, Neff put Lock Haven on the board and started a string of three straight wins for The Haven.
 
Neff beat Paul Kirchner 11-8 at 141, before Maldarelli and Randt won 9-3 and 9-4, at 149 and 157, respectively.
 
Lock Haven's three straight wins had the match tied 9-9 after five bouts.
 
Rider won four of the final five matches to take home the win.
 
In the night's premier bout, Garcia, ranked 14^th nationally edged No. 19 Clint Morrison, 9-8 in a thriller at 184 pounds.
 
Lock Haven is right back at it on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. when the Bald Eagles take on No. 1 Penn State.
 
Individual Bout-by-Bout Results –
125: #10 Robert Deutsch (Rider) pinned Kaleb LeMaire (Lock Haven) 4:10
133: Chuck Zeisloft (Rider) dec. Cody Wheeler (Lock Haven) 8-6
141: #17 Dan Neff (Lock Haven) dec. Paul Kirchner (Rider) 11-8
149: Mac Maldarelli (Lock Haven) dec. Curt Delia (Rider) 9-3
157: Billy Randt (Lock Haven) dec. Wayne Stinson (Rider) 9-4
165: #13 Ramon Santiago (Rider) dec. Jake Kemerer (Lock Haven) 10-7
174: Conor Brennan (Rider) major dec. Adam Mackie (Lock Haven) 13-5
184: #14 Fred Garcia (Lock Haven) dec. #19 Clint Morrison (Rider) 9-8
197: Donald McNeil (Rider) dec. Phil Sprenkle (Lock Haven) 8-2
285: Greg Velasco (Rider) major dec. Brad Emerick (Lock Haven) 8-0
 
*Rankings used are that of Amateur Wrestling News (AWN)
 
Match Notes:
Rider has now won four straight over LHU … Last season, the two teams met for the first time since 2009 and Rider won 19-14 … LHU leads the all-time series 16-6 … Lock Haven is coming off a 27-14 loss to former EWL-rival Pitt last Friday … This was the second of four straight duals vs. nationally-ranked opponents … The 2013-14 season marks Rider's first season in the EWL … Rider and George Mason joined the league in May … The addition of George Mason and Rider brings the EWL back to seven teams, including Bloomsburg, Clarion, Cleveland State, Edinboro and Lock Haven.  West Virginia departed following the 2011-12 season for the Big Eight and Pittsburgh, the EWL Tournament champion in 2012 and '13, is now a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference … It also marks the first time the EWL has expanded since Virginia Tech, now also a member of the ACC, joined the conference in 1999.