Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - The 16th-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team won seven of 10 matches in defeating the University of Maryland 24-9 Sunday afternoon inside Cassell Coliseum in an ACC dual match to improve to 13-2 overall, 2-1 in the conference.
Ninteenth-ranked Joey Dance got the Hokies off to a good start with a 2-1 win over Billy Rappo at 125 pounds. After escaping in the second period for his point, Dance rode Rappo for over a minute in the third period before Rappo finally escaped. But Dance fended off a late charge and held on for the close win. At 133 pounds, Dennis Gustafson had his way with Tyler Goodwin, using a takedown and nearfall points to roll to the 7-2 win.
Senior Erik Spjut then provided the highlight of the afternoon at 141 pounds. Trailing 1-0 late to No. 15 Shyheim Brown in a neutral position, Spjut shot in and got the takedown with five seconds left to pull off the 2-1 upset. The action sent the crowd into a frenzy and the senior exited the mat to a standing ovation pumping his fists in jubilation.
Zach Neibert, ranked 20th in the country, took care of business at 149 pounds, picking up three takedowns and over two minutes of riding time to down Derrick Evanovich 9-2. Sal Mastriani continued his hot streak, beating Ben Dorsay 8-3 at 157 pounds. The redshirt freshman dominated the action from the first whistle and rolled to his fifth win in his last six matches. Chris Moon used two takedowns, a point for riding time, a point for stalling and an escape to beat Josh Snook 7-0 at 165 pounds.
At 174 pounds, Ty Snook reversed John Dickson late in the third period to pick up a 5-3 win and put Maryland on the board. At 184 pounds, 17th-ranked Nick Vetterlein gave top-ranked Jimmy Sheptock all he wanted, but Sheptock got a takedown with 40 seconds left to pull out the 3-1 victory and remain undefeated.
Chris Penny put on a dominating performance at 197 pounds and beat eighth-ranked Christian Boley. Penny had picked up two takedowns, an escape and a penalty point and was leading 6-0 before Boley took a second injury time and eventually took an injury default late in the second period.
Ty Walz had a chance to pull off a big upset at heavyweight as he picked up a quick first-period takedown of No. 6 Spencer Myers, but Myers got a takedown on the edge of the mat with 17 seconds left when Walz had a chance to take the action out of bounds to pick up a 4-3 win.
The bout served as Senior Day, even though Tech will host the ACC Championships in March. Dickson, Neibert, Penny, Spjut and Vetterlein were honored before the match.
Tech (13-2, 2-1 ACC) will be back in action on next Friday, taking on Duke University in Charlotte, N.C., at the Charlotte Latin School. Match time is 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, the Hokies will take on NC State in Raleigh at 2 p.m.
#16 Virginia Tech (13-2, 2-1 ACC) 24, Maryland (4-7, 0-2 ACC) 9
125: #19 Joey Dance (VT) dec. Billy Rappo, 2-1
133: Dennis Gustafson (VT) dec. Tyler Goodwin, 7-2
141: Erik Spjut (VT) dec. #15 Shyheim Brown, 2-1
149: #20 Zach Neibert (VT) dec. Derrick Evanovich, 9-2
157: Sal Mastriani (VT) dec. Ben Dorsay, 8-3
165: Chris Moon (VT) dec. Josh Snook, 7-0
174: Ty Snook (MD) dec. John Dickson, 5-3
184: #1 Jimmy Sheptock (MD) dec. #17 Nick Vetterlein, 3-1
197: Chris Penny (VT) inj. def. #8 Christian Boley, 4:45
285: #6 Spencer Myers (MD) dec. #20 Ty Walz, 4-3
Referee: Eric Eckerman
Attendance: 631
Additionally, several members of the squad participated in the “Shorty” Hitchcock Memorial on the campus of Millersville University in Pennsylvania with five guys placing in the top four of their respective weight class. Below are the results from those competitors:
133: Kevin Norstrem (unattached; 4-1; SECOND PLACE)
First Round: def. Anthony Farace (Maryland), MD 10-1
Second Round: def. Jhared Simmons (Montgomery College), Fall 4:03 *
Quarterfinals: def. Matthew Bryer (Lock Haven), 5-3
Semifinals: def. Scott Delvecchio (Rutgers), 3-2 (TB)
Finals: lost to Geoffrey Alexander (Maryland), 3-2
141: Nick Anderson (5-2; FOURTH PLACE)
First Round: def. Michael Pritchard (Millersville), 10-4
Second Round: def. Tim Bailey (Clarion), 12-5
Quarterfinals: lost to Randy Cruz (Lehigh), 3-2
Consolations: def. Christian Stone (West Virginia), MD 12-4
Consolations: def. Drew Longo (Lehigh), 5-3
Consolations: def. Griffin Higginbothan (FLWC), 3-2 +
Third-Place Match: lost to John Dutrow (Drexel), 6-0
141: Jerry Ronnau (0-2)
First Round: lost to Tanner Cahill (Bloomsburg), MD 14-2
Consolations: lost to Michael Waters (Penn State), MD 15-7
149: Cameron Bowen (1-2)
First Round: lost to Matt Coppola (Bucknell), 10-7
Consolations: def. Andrew Kaluzny (Pittsburgh), 6-5
Consolations: lost to Mathew Harris (Alderson-Broaddus College), 10-8 *
149: Mattheos Lozier (unattached; 0-2)
First Round: lost to Tyler Hunt (Rutgers), Fall 0:18
Consolations: lost to Brandon Giovanetti (Franklin & Marshall), 12-6
157: Mason Mele (unattached; 2-2)
First Round: lost to Jordan Marshall (Old Dominion), MD 12-2
Consolations: def. Drew Hull (Virginia), 4-3
Consolations: def. Andrew Reca (Rider), MD 8-0
Consolations: lost to Austin Rose (Drexel), 4-2
157: Chad Strube (2-2)
First Round: def. Matt Hammerstone (Bloomsburg), 7-3
Second Round: def. Jake Kazimir (Columbia), 3-2
Quarterfinals: lost to Louis Mascola (Maryland), Fall 1:46
Consolations: lost to Cody Law (Penn State), 4-1
165: David Bergida (unattached; 1-2)
First Round: def. John Keck (Navy), 9-8
Second Round: lost to Marshall Peppelman (Cornell), TF 15-0
Quarterfinals: lost to Coleman Gracey (Army), TF 15-0 (5:55)
174: Zach Epperly (unattached; 4-0; CHAMPION)
First Round: def. Ryan Harman (Navy), Fall 4:02
Quarterfinals: def. Nicholas Elmer (Drexel), 8-3
Semifinals: def. David Fenton (Rider), Fall 2:38
Finals: def. Dominic Kastl (Cal Poly), 11-8
174: Brooks Morrison (0-2)
First Round: lost to Anthony Pafumi (Rutgers), 4-1
Consolations: lost to Daniel McDevitt (Pennsylvania), 4-3
197: Jared Haught (unattached; 5-0; CHAMPION)
First Round: def. Aaron Leeking (York College), Fall 4:06 *
Second Round: def. Shawn Heist (Bloomsburg), 7-0
Quarterfinals: def. Josh Kettel (FLWC), 8-2 +
Semifinals: def. Alen Turcinhodzic (Pittsburgh), MD 10-1
Finals: def. Troy Hembury (Columbia), 2-0
197: Henry Mauk (unattached; 1-2)
First Round: lost to Ali Yildiz (Rider), MD 13-2
Consolations: def. Thomas Murray (Lehigh Valley AC), 6-4 +
Consolations: lost to Daniel Choi (Cornell), MD 14-4
197: David Reck (unattached; 6-2; FOURTH PLACE)
First Round: lost to Harrison Cook (Pennsylvania), 6-4 (SV)
Consolations: def. Doug Medrano (Stevens Institute of Technology), Fall 4:39 *
Consolations: def. Mark Garrity (Stevens Institute of Technology), MD 14-1 *
Consolations: def. Matthew Moore (Lock Haven), 8-2
Consolations: def. Brandon Litten (Drexel), 4-0
Consolations: def. Austin Wilding (Army), 4-0
Consolations: def. Alen Turcinhodzic (Pittsburgh), MD 14-3
Third-Place Match: lost to Harrison Cook (Pennsylvania), 5-3
285: Brandon Taylor (2-2)
First Round: lost to Brad Emerick (Lock Haven), 2-0
Consolations: def. Francis Slover (Shippensburg), Fall 2:52
Consolations: def. Conor Sweeney (Columbia), 3-1 (SV)
Consolations: lost to Sean Twigg (Maryland), 6-2
* - non-Division I competitor; result does not count toward NCAA qualification status
+ - non-NCAA competitor; result does not count toward season record