Hokie ClubCLEVELAND - Redshirt senior Jared Haught knocked off Cornell's Ben Darmstadt with a third period fall in the national semifinals on Friday evening to advance to the finals at 197 pounds at the NCAA Championships.
Haught, the three seed, is the second NCAA finalist in the history of the Virginia Tech wrestling program and the first since Devin Carter reached the 141-pound title match in 2014. In the finals, Haught will face NC State's Michael Macchiavello, the No. 4 seed, for the third time this season. Haught won both meetings, both by decision.
Despite dropping their semifinals matches, redshirt sophomore David McFadden and redshirt junior Zack Zavatsky are still alive in the consolation bracket. The Hokies currently sit in seventh in the team standings with 44.5 points.
Haught, seeded third, struck first late in the second period with a takedown but Darmstadt countered with a reversal to tie the score at 2-2 at the start of the third. With a little more than 30 seconds into the third period, Darmstadt reached in for Haught's right leg on a low single but Haught underhooked the right arm, tossing him to mat and securing the fall at 5:41 in the bout.
McFadden dropped a tough 3-1 decision to defending national champion Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State, handing McFadden his first loss of the season. He's now 34-1 on the season and will face Lock Haven's Chance Marsteller, the No. 9 seed, in the third place semifinals.
At 184 pounds, second seeded Myles Martin of Ohio State topped Zavatsky with an 8-4 decision. Zavatsky will face Nebraska's Taylor Venz for a chance to wrestle for third place tomorrow morning.
The consolation rounds will begin tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. and the finals start at 8 p.m.
165: David McFadden (3-1)
First Round - #2 David McFadden dec. Zach Finesilver (Duke), 4-0
Second Round - #2 David McFadden MD #15 Anthony Valencia (Arizona State), 14-3
Quarterfinals - #2 David McFadden dec. #10 Evan Wick (Wisconsin), 3-1
Semifinals - #3 Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) dec. #2 David McFadden, 3-1
184: Zack Zavatsky (3-1)
First Round - #6 Zack Zavatskty dec. Michael Coleman (Navy), 9-2
Second Round - #6 Zack Zavatsky dec. #11 Ricky Robertson (Wisconsin), 9-6
Quarterfinals - #6 Zack Zavatsky dec. #3 Ryan Preisch (Lehigh), 3-1 (SV OT)
Semifinals - #2 Myles Martin (Ohio State) dec. #6 Zack Zavatsky, 8-4
197: Jared Haught (4-0)
First Round - #3 Jared Haught MD Jacob Seely (Northern Colorado), 11-2
Second Round - #3 Jared Haught dec. #14 Cash Wilcke (Iowa), 5-3
Quarterfinals - #3 Jared Haught dec. #6 Willie Miklus (Missouri), 3-1
Semifinals - #3 Jared Haught WBF #2 Ben Darmstadt (Cornell), 5:41