#10 NC State Claims Share of ACC Dual Title With 17-16 Win at #14 Virginia Tech

BLACKSBURG, VA. – #10 NC State and #14 Virginia Tech split the 10 matches, but the Wolfpack won the dual on criteria with total individual points and came away with a 17-16 win in Blacksburg Friday night.

NC State finished with a 53-46 advantage on most individual points scored.

With the win, the Pack finishes with a 4-1 mark in the ACC and was the co-ACC Dual Champions with North Carolina. NC State won back-to-back ACC regular season titles for the first time since 2001-02.

The dual started with a top-5 battle at 184 pounds, which saw Virginia Tech’s #5 Zack Zavatsky claim a 6-2 win over #3 Nick Reenan.

The Hokies added a decision at 197 pounds and major decision at heavyweight to build their lead to 10-0 after three bouts.

The Wolfpack answered the bonus point win and scored its first win of the day at 125 pounds, as #11 Sean Fausz scored an 11-0 major decision, with 4:08 of ride time. Fausz scored a first period takedown and a pair of two-point near falls to take a commanding 7-0 lead after the first.

In his first dual since Jan. 6, #7 Tariq Wilson scored a ranked win, taking out #14 Korbin Myers 6-1 at 133 pounds. Wilson collected takedowns in the first and third periods, and a ride out in the second scored the ride time point.

The Pack made it three in a row, as Jamel Morris scored a 4-0 decision at 141 pounds. Morris scored a takedown with one second left in the first period, and a reversal in the second secured the win. Morris has now outscored his foes 61-5 since becoming the starter.

#8 Justin Oliver gave the Pack its first lead of the day (13-10) as he scored a 6-3 win, thanks to a pair of first period takedowns.

The streak ran to five straight for the Pack, as #4 Hayden Hidlay scored a takedown with two seconds left for the 6-4 win.

With two bouts left, NC State held a 16-10 lead as the Hokies closed with back-to-back top-10 wrestlers.

#8 Mekhi Lewis scored an 11-5 decision at 165 pounds over Thomas Bullard to close the gap to 16-13 with one bout left.

#7 David McFadden closed the dual with a 9-8 win over Daniel Bullard to tie the dual 16-16 after the 10 matches.

But NC State won the dual on criteria for total team points, 53-46.

Up Next: The dual concludes the regular season for the Wolfpack. NC State will return to Blacksburg for the ACC Championship on March 9.

#10 NC State 17, #14 Virginia Tech 16

184: #5 Zack Zavatsky (VT) dec. #3 Nick Reenan; 6-2 – 0-3

197: #9 Tom Sleigh (VT) dec. Malik McDonald; 3-2 – 0-6

285: #20 Billy Miller (VT) major dec. Colin Lawler; 10-2 – 0-10

125: #11 Sean Fausz (NCSU) major dec. Joey Prata; 11-0 – 4-10

133: #7 Tariq Wilson (NCSU) dec. #14 Korbin Myers; 6-1 – 7-10

141: Jamel Morris (NCSU) dec. Mitch Moore; 4-0 – 10-10

149: #8 Justin Oliver (NCSU) dec. Ryan Blees; 6-3 – 13-10

157: #4 Hayden Hidlay (NCSU) dec. B.C. LaPrade; 6-4 – 16-10

165: #8 Mekhi Lewis (VT) dec. Thomas Bullard; 11-5 – 16-13

174: #7 David McFadden (VT) dec. Daniel Bullard; 9-8 – 17-16*

NC State wins on criteria, most team points (53-46)

(PhotoCredit: GoPack)