Hokie ClubAMES, Iowa - The sixth-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team won just four of 10 matches contested and suffered a 21-12 setback to No. 13 Iowa State Sunday afternoon in front of 5,603 fans inside Hilton Coliseum. The loss was just the second on the year for Tech, dropping the Hokies to 9-2 overall.
“First off, congratulations to Iowa State on being the better team today,” said Tech head coach Kevin Dresser. “Secondly, I want to single out Walz and Mastriani on doing a great job today of going after their opponents and really separating themselves. Lastly, for the first time as a team this year, I thought we stunk. We have 14 days until we compete again, so we are going to take a couple of days to rest up and heal up for the last stretch of the season. We will be better than what we showed today.”
The Hokies jumped out to a 6-0 lead thanks to two wins from ranked wrestlers, but ISU responded immediately after. Third-ranked Devin Carter gave up two takedowns, but had three of his own and held on to beat Josh Meeks 9-8 at 141 pounds. Thirteenth-ranked Sal Mastriani used four takedowns to control the match at 149 pounds, rolling to a 7-3 win over No. 16 Gabe Moreno at 149 pounds.
The Cyclones then won five matches in a row, picking up three bonus points along the way. Jake Spengler dropped a 10-1 major decision to Luke Goettl at 157 pounds and then Chad Strube lost 9-1 to No. 5 Michael Moreno at 165 pounds. Ninth-ranked Zach Epperly appeared to be in good shape to pull off the win over No. 11 Tanner Weatherman at 174 pounds, but Weatherman got a takedown with six seconds left to rally for the 4-3 win at 174 pounds. At 184 pounds, 17th-ranked Lelund Weatherspoon got a takedown with four seconds left in sudden victory to down Austin Gabel 3-1 to give ISU an eight-point lead. At 197 pounds, third-ranked Kyven Gadsen rolled to a 10-2 major decision over Jared Haught to stretch ISU’s lead to 12 points.
Ty Walz finally stopped the Cyclone run with a win at heavyweight. The seventh-ranked heavyweight used two takedowns and several points from stalling to down Quean Smith 7-3 and then fourth-ranked Joey Dance got a takedown in the first period to propel himself to a 3-2 win over Kyle Larson at 125 pounds. Seventh-ranked Earl Hall beat Tech’s Kevin Norstrem 7-4 at 133 pounds to wrap up the meet.
Virginia Tech is now 0-6 all-time against Iowa State in wrestling.
Tech will have two weeks off before returning home to host 13th-ranked Virginia in its ACC opener at the Moss Arts Center on campus. A limited number of tickets remain for the Feb. 1 match and can be purchased at vthoki.es/moss. Tickets may also be purchased for the Feb. 6 match against No. 9 Pitt and the Feb. 8 match against NC State at the same link.
#13 Iowa State (6-1) 21, #6 Virginia Tech (9-2) 12
141: #3 Devin Carter (VT) dec. Josh Meeks, 9-8
149: #13 Sal Mastriani (VT) dec. #16 Gabe Moreno, 7-3
157: Luke Goettl (ISU) maj. dec. Jake Spengler, 10-1
165: #5 Michael Moreno (ISU) dec. Chad Strube, 9-1
174: #11 Tanner Weatherman (ISU) dec. #9 Zach Epperly, 4-3
184: #17 Lelund Weatherspoon (ISU) dec. Austin Gabel, 3-1 (SV)
197: #3 Kyven Gadson (ISU) maj. dec. Jared Haught, 10-2
285: #7 Ty Walz (VT) dec. Quean Smith, 7-3
125: #4 Joey Dance (VT) dec. Kyle Larson, 3-2
133: #7 Earl Hall (ISU) dec. #18 Kevin Norstrem, 7-4
rankings taken from InterMat
Several Tech wrestlers competed in the Purple Raider Open in Alliance, Ohio, on Sunday with four Hokies winning titles.
125: Brandon Olsen (unattached; 3-0, CHAMPION)
Quarterfinals: def. Deshawn Oliver (Niagara), TF 20-3
Semifinals: def. Andrew Coghill (Cleveland State), TF 17-2
Finals: def. John Martin (Cleveland State), TF 17-2
133: Jackson Myers (unattached; 4-0, CHAMPION)
First Round: def. Kevin Kinyua (Mercyhurst), 4-1
Quarterfinals: def. Quarterfinal Josh Henderson (Wheeling Jesuit), 8-2
Semifinals: def. Alec Cotton (Mount Union), 2-1
Finals: won by medical forfeit over Sammy White (Notre Dame College)
141: Dennis Gustafson (unattached; 5-1, THIRD PLACE)
First Round: def. Mike Kostandaras (Cleveland State), MD 13-1
Second Round: def. Bryant Roby (Mount Union), 4-3
Quarterfinals: def. Bobby Smith (Notre Dame College), MD 12-2
Semifinals: lost to Kyle Springer (Eastern Michigan), 10-8
Consolations: def. Brandon Lapi (Buffalo), 8-3
Third-Place Match: won by forfeit
141: Jerry Ronnau (3-2)
First Round: def. Jayce Carr (Cleveland State), Fall 4:54
Second Round: def. Nick Hannan (Mercyhurst), 6-2
Quarterfinals: lost to Brock Zacherl (Clarion), 11-4
Consolations: def. Kyle Ayersman (Purdue), Fall 2:39
Consolations: lost to Brandon Lapi (Buffalo), MD 11-1
149: Solomon Chishko (unattached; 4-1*, THIRD PLACE)
First Round: def. Robert Janis (Notre Dame College), 2-0
Second Round: def. Lucas Williamson (Wrestling Club at Ohio State), TF 23-8 *
Quarterfinals: def. James Jenkins (Notre Dame College), 3-1
Semifinals: lost to Micah Jordan (Ohio State), 4-2
Consolations: def. Jake Keller (Pittsburgh), Fall 2:05
Third-Place Match: def. Trevor Hoffmier (Buffalo), MD 15-7
149: Chad Saunders (unattached; 0-1*)
First Round: lost to George McGuire (Notre Dame College), 12-7
Consolations: lost to Lucas Williamson (Wrestling Club at Ohio State), Inj. Def. (1:46) *
157: Cameron Bowen (unattached; 1-2)
First Round: lost to Micah Jordan (Ohio State), Fall 3:37
Consolations: def. Jared Sample (Gannon), Fall 2:26
Consolations: lost to Blake Riley-Hawkins (Ohio State), MD 13-4
157: Carter Page (unattached; 3-2)
First Round: def. Anthony DeCarlo (Ohio State), med. forf.
Second Round: def. Adam Kehr (Lake Erie College), Fall 2:38
Quarterfinals: lost to Joseph Johnson (Michigan State), 11-8
Consolations: won by medical forfeit over Jon Garrison (Mount Union)
Consolations: lost to Danny Graham (Buffalo), 8-7
157: David Wesley (4-2, FOURTH PLACE)
First Round: def. Frank Shaffer (Akron), Fall 0:32
Second Round: def. Jake Tremoulis (Mount Union), MD 11-3
Quarterfinals: def. Jake Ryan (Ohio State), 7-6
Semifinals: lost to Casey Sparkman (Kent State), 8-2
Consolations: def. Danny Graham (Buffalo), 7-3
Third-Place Match: lost to Jake Ryan (Ohio State), 7-5
165: David Bergida (unattached; 0-1*)
First Round: lost to Kirk Johnson (Purdue), 3-2
Consolations: lost to Cole Shirey (Mercyhurst North East), 9-8 *
174: Tae Leary (0-1)
First Round: lost to Jacob Morrissey (Purdue), Inj. Def. (3:58)
Forfeited out
174: Brooks Morrison (1-1*)
First Round: lost to Anthony Dailey (Notre Dame College), Fall 3:44
Consolations: def. Tom Confer (Niagara), 10-5 (SV)
Consolations: lost to Alex Svetz (Mercyhurst North East), 6-5 *
184: Zack Zavatsky (unattached; 4-0, CHAMPION)
First Round: def. Alen Turcinhodzic (Pittsburgh), MD 10-0
Quarterfinals: def. Jake Stratton (Gannon), Fall 1:50
Semifinals: def. Brent Kirk (Mount Union), MD 13-1
Finals: def. Derek Hillman (Eastern Michigan), 6-2
197: David Reck (unattached; 3-1*, SECOND PLACE)
First Round: def. Trevor Beiter (Gannon), TF 17-2
Quarterfinals: def. Ryan Jankowski (Unattached), Fall 0:15 *
Semifinals: def. Kyle Conel (Kent State), 4-3 (TB-1)
Finals: lost to Stephan Suglio (Kent State), 3-2
285: Dan Garwood (5-0, CHAMPION)
First Round: def. Cody Carr (Mount Union), Fall 4:26
Second Round: def. Jacob Aven (Purdue), 6-2
Quarterfinals: def. Devin Nye (Kent State), 10-5
Semifinals: def. Dimitrus Renfroe (Michigan State), 3-1 (SV)
Finals: def. Sam Breese (Kent State), 5-3
285: Brandon Taylor (2-2*)
First Round: lost to Sam Breese (Kent State), 2-0
Consolations: def. Jacob Aven (Purdue), 3-1 (SV)
Consolations: def. Divon Jones (Hulk Smash), 3-0 *
Consolations: def. Logan Bowman (Wheeling Jesuit), 5-3
Consolations: lost to Devin Nye (Kent State), Fall 2:03
* - non-NCAA competitor; result won’t count toward season/career record