No. 10 Hokies return to Blacksburg to face West Virginia on FridayNo. 10 Hokies return to Blacksburg to face West Virginia on Friday
Wrestling

No. 10 Hokies return to Blacksburg to face West Virginia on Friday

BLACKSBURG - After a week off, No. 10 Virginia Tech returns to Carilion Clinic Court on Friday where the Hokies will take on West Virginia at 7 p.m. Admission is free and the match will be streamed live on ACC Network EXTRA via WatchESPN.

The Hokies (4-1) are coming off of a 26-12 win over Princeton in the Grapple at the Garden in New York City on Dec. 10. Tech is 8-12 all-time vs. West Virginia but won the last meeting, a 36-4 victory at Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, West Virginia on Dec. 18, 2016.

That dual was a homecoming for redshirt senior Jared Haught, who’ll be going up against his home-state Mountaineers one last time. Once again he’ll face Jake Smith, WVU’s 197-pounder who’s currently ranked fifth in the nation. On Friday, it’ll be No. 5 Smith vs. No. 3 Haught in the lone ranked bout of the evening.

The first 150 fans in attendance will receive a free Virginia Tech wrestling beanie. Beanies will be distributed starting at 5:30 p.m.

INSIDE THE MATCH

  • In what’s been the premier bout in the last two duals between the two programs, No. 3 Jared Haught vs. No. 5 Jake Smith on Friday is expected to be another classic.
  • Haught is 2-1 all-time against Smith and has won the last two meetings in sudden victory overtime and the first tiebreak period, respectively.
  • Dennis Gustafson could see a strong test at 133 against Matthew Schmitt, who’s 13-5 on the season.
  • Gustafson defeated Schmitt in his first consolation match by a 6-2 decision earlier this month at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (12/1).

VIRGINIA TECH PROJECTED LINEUP
125: Kyle Norstrem (8-7)
133: #14 Dennis Gustafson (13-4)
141: Brent Moore (9-7) or Andrew Mehrholz
149: #11 Solomon Chishko (5-2) or Brendan Grammes (5-5)
157: Ryan Blees (6-4) or B.C. LaPrade (8-5)
165: #4 David McFadden (17-0)
174: Cody Hughes (10-6) or Hunter Bolen (7-6)
184: #7 Zack Zavatsky (15-4)
197: #3 Jared Haught (12-2)
285: #17 Andrew Dunn (15-4)

WEST VIRGINIA PROJECTED LINEUP
125: No. 19 Zeke Moisey or Devin Brown
133: Matthew Schmitt
141: Christian Monserrat or Keegan Moore
149: Kyler Rea
157: No. 18 Zachary Moore
165: Nick Kiussis
174: Parker VonEgidy
184: Brenden McRill
197: No. 5 Jake Smith
285: Brandon Ngati