Hokies win five bouts in Columbia but fall short to No. 2 MizzouHokies win five bouts in Columbia but fall short to No. 2 Mizzou
Wrestling

Hokies win five bouts in Columbia but fall short to No. 2 Mizzou

COLUMBIA, MO. – The No. 11 Hokies led the match through the first seven bouts but dropped the dual to No. 2 Mizzou, 22-17 at Hearnes Center on Tuesday, January 2. Despite three upset victories from Cooper Flynn, Tom Crook, and Bryce Andonian and a dominant performance from Mekhi Lewis and a gritty win from Caleb Henson for the visiting squad as the Hokies drop to 3-2 on the season.
 
Redshirt sophomore No. 10 Cooper Flynn continued his strong season with another upset victory – this time against previously undefeated No. 2 Noah Surtin – to open the dual at 125-pounds. Flynn struck first with a takedown in the opening period, but Surtin would score two escapes and a riding time point to send the bout into overtime. Flynn would secure a bodylock and plant Surtin on his back for the winning scoring sequence, 10-3. No. 5 Sam Latona followed momentum early with a takedown in the first period but would get caught in a scramble and fall to Kade Moore close to the end of the second period to give the Tigers a 6-3 lead.
 


 
Making a return to the lineup after beginning the season at 149-pounds and in redshirt was sophomore Tom Crook as he took on No. 19 Josh Edmond at 141-pounds. Crook followed up his strong Midlands performance from over the weekend with another strong performance on Tuesday night with a surging comeback after trailing 6-2 early. Crook would tally two takedowns and a riding time point after trailing to pick up the 9-8 victory and take the lead for the Hokies. Fellow sophomore No. 2 Caleb Henson picked up a gritty 6-4 decision over Logan Gioffre to increase the Hokies' lead before the marquee bout of the night.
 
157-pounds was billed the match to watch and it lived up to all the hype. With a combined five All-American honors between the two wrestlers, it was firework show between No. 8 Bryce Andonian and No. 5 Brock Mauller in an electric match-up that saw Andonian secure a much-needed victory in the closing seconds. The Hokie led early with a takedown in the opening period before a Mauller escape and a takedown of his own. Andonian would then find an escape to tie the bout at 4 to close out the first period. Mauller would get an escape to begin the second period with Andonian finding another leg before being awarded a penalty point after an illegal defensive attempt from Mauller to tie the bout at 5 heading into the third period. The Hokie would elect neutral and would find another attack in what led to a wild sequence that saw Andonian awarded a takedown but give up a reversal. Mauller would cut Andonian and secure a takedown but Andonian would get another escape to tie the bout at 10 with :15 left in regulation. The Human Highlight Reel would take a shot on the restart and use his signature wizardry to secure the takedown to take the upset 13-10 victory and hand the Tiger his first loss of the season.
 



At 165-pounds, No. 24 Connor Brady would drop his match against No. 1 Keegan O'Toole, 20-4 after the intermission.
 
No. 2 Mekhi Lewis dispatched James Conway at 174-pounds in dominating fashion to the tune of 15-0 tech fall at 3:59. Lewis struck early with a feet-to-back blast double to lead 7-0 and would add four more back points to close the first period leading 11-0. Lewis would pick bottom to begin the second period and would garner an escape right into a takedown to pick up the bonus point victory for the Hokies. Tech would then drop the last three bouts to end the night and drop to 3-5 all-time against the Tigers.
 


 
Another test awaits as the Hokies return to action on Sunday, January 7 on the road against No. 5 Cornell.
 
No. 11 Virginia Tech – 17, No. 4 Mizzou – 22
Final Results
125 – No. 10 Cooper Flynn DEC No. 2 Noah Surtin (MIZ), 10-3 SV
133 – No. 5 Sam Latona loss Kade Moore (MIZ), 4:37
141 – Tom Crook DEC No. 19 Joshua Edmond (MIZ), 9-8
149 – No. 2 Caleb Henson DEC Logan Gioffre (MIZ), 6-4
157 – No. 8 Bryce Andonian DEC No. 5 Brock Mauller (MIZ),
165 – No. 24 Connor Brady loss No. 1 Keegan O'Toole (MIZ), 4-20
174 – No. 2 Mekhi Lewis TECH FALL James Conway (MIZ), 15-0, 3:59
184 – Cody Howard loss No. 11 Clayton Whiting (MIZ), 3-11
197 – No. 25 Andy Smith loss No. 3 Rocky Elam (MIZ), 0-11
285 – No. 20 Hunter Catka loss No. 6 Zach Elam (MIZ), 1-8