No. 6 Hokies open second half of the season at Princeton and UNC

Match Notes

BLACKSBURG – The sixth-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team opens the second half of the 2016-17 season on the road this weekend at Princeton on Friday, Jan. 6, before travelling to North Carolina for their ACC opener on Sunday, Jan. 8.

Friday’s match at 7 p.m. with Tigers will be shown on IvyLeagueDigitalNetwork.com and Sunday’s 6 p.m. dual against the Tar Heels will be streamed on WatchESPN via ACC Digital Network Extra.

Last time out, the Hokies dismantled West Virginia, 36-4, to improve to 5-1 overall in redshirt junior Jared Haught’s homecoming to Parkersburg, W. Va. The Hokies lone loss of the season came at No. 5 Missouri where the Tigers got by with 23-19 win after a late pin from redshirt junior Zach Epperly at 174 pounds.

STORYLINES

• Friday’s match will only be the third ever meeting between Princeton and Virginia Tech and the first since 1991. The all-time series is tied at 1-1.
• The Hokies lead the all-time series with North Carolina, 35-21-2, and haven’t lost to the Tar Heels since suffering a 31-9 defeat on Feb. 2, 2006 in Richmond.
• Redshirt sophomore Ryan Blees could make his second appearance in a dual this season at 157 after picking up a major decision against West Virginia on Dec. 18.
• Head coach Kevin Dresser sits at 147 career wins and senior Joey Dance currently has 95 career victories.

VIRGINIA TECH PROBABLES
125: No. 2 Joey Dance (11-0)
133: Dominic Latona (3-6)
141: Dennis Gustafson (4-1) or Brendan Ryan (0-1)
149: No. 8 Solomon Chishko (8-4)
157: No. 15 Sal Mastriani (8-2) or Ryan Blees (1-0)
165: David Bergida (1-0)
174: No. 2 Zach Epperly (6-0)
184: No. 4 Zack Zavatsky (11-2)
197: No. 3 Jared Haught (9-2)
HWT: No. 3 Ty Walz (8-1)

PRINCETON PROBABLES
125 – Ty Agaisse (6-5)
133 – Pat D’Arcy (4-10)
141 – No. 3 Matthew Kolodzik (16-1)
149 – No. 16 Jordan Laster (10-6)
157 – Mike D’Angelo (3-5)
165 – Joe Tavoso (2-8)
174 – No. 19 Jon Schleifer (10-2) or Carlin Powell (2-3)
184 – Ian Baker (4-5)
197 – No. 9 Brett Harner (8-4)
HWT – No. 20 Ray O’Donnell (6-4)

UNC PROBABLES
125: James Szymanski or Anthony Bosco
133: Alex Rinaldi or Tyrone Klump
141: Joey Ward
149: Troy Heilmann
157: Joey Moon
165: Jack Clark
174: Ethan Ramos
184: Elijah Kerr-Brown
197: Danny Chaid
285: Cory Daniel