Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - A major decision from Ryan Blees at 149 pounds and a 3-2 decision from B.C. LaPrade in the second tiebreaker period gave No. 10 Virginia Tech the lead for good as the Hokies topped No. 9 Lehigh, 20-17, in front of 2,947 at Carilion Clinic Court of Friday evening.
Despite a forfeit at 125 pounds that put the Hokies (11-2, 1-0 ACC) in an early hole, Tech won six of the next nine matches to take the dual.
Dennis Gustafson got Tech on the board with a 3-2 decision at 133 but the Mountain Hawk extended its lead to 9-3 with a decision at 141. A takedown and four near fall points in the third period gave Blees a major decision with riding time, giving the Hokies a key bonus point win at 149.
Blees’ major set the stage LaPrade’s win over Lehigh’s Ian Brown at 157. With a caution already on Brown in the first tiebreaker period, he led 2-1 but was called for stalling again on the edge of the mat with the clock winding down that gave LaPrade a point and tied the score up at 2-2, forcing a second tiebreaker period. LaPrade escaped in TB-2 and it was all he needed to put the Hokies ahead 10-9 at intermission.
Zack Zavatsky’s ninth-consecutive bonus point win, a 10-1 decision at 184, and a decision from Jared Haught sealed the win for the Hokies.
The Hokies return to action tomorrow at Cassell Coliseum against Duke at 1 p.m.
No. 10 Virginia Tech 20, No. 9 Lehigh 17
125: #2 Darian Cruz (Lehigh) For. (VT)
133: #17 Dennis Gustafson (VT) dec. Nick Farro (Lehigh), 3-2
141: #13 Luke Karam (Lehigh) dec. Brent Moore (VT), 4-0
149: Ryan Blees (VT) MD Johnathan Mele (Lehigh), 14-6
157: BC. LaPrade (VT) dec. Ian Brown (Lehigh), 3-2 (TB-2)
165: #4 David McFadden (VT) dec. #20 Gordon Wolf (Lehigh), 9-2
174: #5 Jordan Kutler (Lehigh) TF Cody Hughes (VT), 24-9
184: #8 Zack Zavatsky (VT) MD Dylan Ammerman (Lehigh), 10-1
197: #2 Jared Haught (VT) dec. Chris Weiler (Lehigh), 7-6
285: #12 Jordan Wood (Lehigh) dec. #18 Andrew Dunn (VT), 4-0