Hokie ClubLAS VEGAS - Senior Joey Dance took home only the second Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational title in program history with a 4-3 decision over Ohio State’s Jose Rodriguez in the finals of the 125-pound weight class on Saturday night.
Dance joins classmate Ty Walz as the only two Hokies to win titles at the Cliff Keen Invite. Walz, Zack Zavatskty and Jared Haught each reached the finals and in their respective weight classes. Tech finished third in the team standings behind Ohio State and Wisconsin with 103 team points.
“My thoughts are that we have to get a lot tougher,” head coach Kevin Dresser said. “When you’re at a tournament with this many competitors you see a lot of good things but there were some bad things. We’re going to take a couple of days off when we get back into town and we’re going to get after it. We’re going to change our product and it’s going to start next week.”
Dance defeated Sean Russell of Edinboro for the second time this season with a 4-2 decision in the semis before topping Rodriguez in the finals. Zavatasky upset No. 2 Mark Martin in the semis with a 6-4 decision before falling in the finals at 184.
The finals at 285 saw a rematch of this year’s main event bout at the NWCA All-Star Classic between Walz and Wisconsin’s Connor Medbery. Medbery jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period but Walz countered and took a 4-2 advantage in the second period with a takedown. It wouldn’t be enough though as Medbery knotted up the score at 4-4 in the third before picking up a takedown in overtime.
The Hokies’ next dual will be against West Virginia in Parkersburg, West Virginia on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m.
125: No. 3 (1) Joey Dance (5-0)
Round of 32: (1) J. Dance FALL V. Kazakov (Nebraska-Kearney), 4:07
Round of 16: (1) J. Dance TF Devin Brown (WVU), 19-4 (5:48)
Quarterfinals: (1) J. Dance dec. (8) M. Simmons (Iowa State), 4-0
Semifinals: (1) J. Dance dec. (4) S. Russell (EDIN), 4-2
Finals: (1) J. Dance dec. J. Rodriquez (tOSU), 4-3
FIRST PLACE FINISH
133: Dominic Latona (1-2)
Round of 32: No. 3 (1) N. Thomasello (tOSU) TF Latona, 22-7 (6:18)
Consolation (16 #1): D. Latona dec. C. Lambert (Navy), 9-2
Consolation (16 #2): No. 5 (2) E. Hall (Iowa State) dec. D. Latona, 9-2
DNP
149: No. 5 (1) Solomon Chishko (2-2)
Round of 32: (1) S. Chishko TF M. Sprague (American), 23-8 (6:13)
Round of 16: (1) S. Chishko MD C. Wilding (Navy), 12-4
Quarterfinals: (4) P. Lugo (EDIN) dec. (1) S. Chishko, 5-3 (SVOT)
Consolation Semis: C. Mendenhall FALL (1) S. Chishko (5:29)
INJURY DEFAULT, SIXTH PLACE FINISH
157: No. 20 (7) Sal Mastriani (4-1)
Round of 64: (7) S. Mastriani TF Z. Carson (EMU), 18-3 (4:12)
Round of 32: (7) S. Mastriani dec. C. DiBlasi (Iowa State), 7-3
Round of 16: (7) S. Mastriani TF C. Moseley (American), 18-2 (5:00)
Quarterfinals: (7) S. Mastriani dec. (2) R. Parsons (Army), 10-3
Semifinals: (6) J. Short (Minnesota) DEF (7) S. Mastriani
INJURY DEFAULT, SIXTH PLACE FINISH
165: David Bergida (1-2)
Round of 32: A. Lopouchanski (Air Force) dec. Bergida, 8-3
Consolation (16 #1): dec. L. Kerin (Bucknell), 6-3
Consolation (16 #2): L. Parks (Central Michigan) dec. Bergida, 8-6
DNP
184: No. 8 (3) Zack Zavatsky (4-1)
Round of 32: (3) Z. Zavatsky TF E. Battaglia (Michigan), 18-3 (5:12)
Round of 16: (3) Z. Zavatsky dec. H. Ritter (Wisconsin), 3-2
Quarterfinals: (3) Z. Zavatsky dec. (6) D. Gabel (UNCO), 9-5
Semifinals: (3) Z. Zavatsky dec. (2) M. Martin (tOSU), 6-4
Finals: (1) G. Dean (Cornell) TF (3) Z. Zavatsky, 19-4 (5:00)
SECOND PLACE FINISH
197: No. 3 (2) Jared Haught (4-1)
Round of 32: (2) J. Haught MD T. Lane (Cal Poly), 20-6
Round of 16: (2) J. Haught dec. S. Cervantes (Navy), 4-2
Quarterfinals: (2) J. Haught dec. (7) M. Williams (CSU), 5-3
Semifinals: (2) J. Haught dec. (3) J. Smith (WVU), 6-4 (SVOT)
Finals: (1) B. Pfarr MD (2) J. Haught, 14-1
SECOND PLACE FINISH
HWT: No. 3 (2) Ty Walz (4-1)
Round of 32: (2) T. Walz TF T. Cooper (North Idaho), 22-7 (6:49)
Round of 16: (2) T. Walz MD N. Smerchek (Central Michigan), 19-8
Quarterfinals: (2) T. Walz MD C. Crawford (Oregon State), 17-7
Semifinals: (2) T. Walz dec. (3) T. Hall (ASU), 5-3
Finals: (1) C. Medbery dec. (2) T. Walz, 6-4 (SVOT)
SECOND PLACE FINISH
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
Ohio State (118.5)
Wisconsin (115.5)
Virginia Tech (103)
Minnesota (100)
Cornell (93.5)