BETHLEHEM, Pa. — It doesn't get much tougher than Lehigh for a season-opening opponent for the Pittsburgh wrestling team. According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association, only one team could have been more difficult as the No. 2 Mountain Hawks defeated the Panthers, 31-9, on Wednesday evening.

Things started out real well for Pittsburgh (0-1) as true freshman Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) scored a 3-1 decision victory over Tommy Rohn of Lehigh to give the Panthers the first three points of the match. At 157 pounds, Derek Zinck of Lehigh tied the match score with a 10-3 win over Justin Nestor (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds). One match later, the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 165 pounds, Troy Letters of Lehigh, picked up a technicall fall win at the 4:00 mark over freshman Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail).

Two major decision wins by Lehigh at 174 and 184 pounds gave the Mountain Hawks (1-1) a 16-3 advantage in the match. Senior Josh Birt (Spokane, Wash./East Valley/North Idaho JC) came close to earning a win in his first match of the year but fell, 5-4, to Matt Cassidy of Lehigh.

The only other win for Pittsburgh came in the heavyweight match when senior Travis Shirley (West Middlesex, Pa./Kennedy Christian) improved to 5-2 with an injury default win over No. 12 Joe Sahl of the Mountain Hawks.

The last three matches were all won by Lehigh with a total of 12 points being awarded for the final score of 31-9. Pittsburgh will travel to EWL rival Bloomsburg tonight to take on the Huskies.