BLACKSBURG, Va. – No. 7 Jacob A. Smith picked up the lone win of the day with a 8-2 decision over Dylan Cook as the West Virginia University wrestling team dropped a 32-3 match to No. 10 Virginia Tech at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Friday evening.
Smith was slated to take on fellow West Virginia native No. 8 Jared Haught of Parkersburg, but Haught did not weigh in for the Hokies.
Smith used a first period takedown, riding Cook out for most of the period, to take a 2-0 lead. He chose bottom in the second, scoring an escape to push his advantage to 3-0 after five minutes of action. Smith registered another takedown in the third before Cook escaped to get on the board down 5-1. Smith scored two more before taking the riding time point for the 8-2 decision.
No. 13/14 Zeke Moisey took on No. 3 Joey Dance at 125 for the second time in his career. Dance scored a first period takedown and a pair of quick near fall points, but Moisey escaped to trail 4-1 in the first. Two more takedowns from Dance made it 8-3 in the second, as Moisey earned a penalty point for Dance’s third caution as well as a pair of escapes. Dance was called for his fourth caution in the third, but also added an escape as Moisey dropped the 9-5 decision.
The Hokies picked up four straight bonus-point victories for a 20-0 lead. Connor Flynn dropped an 8-2 decision to No. 11 David McFadden at 165 before Ross Renzi battled with No. 3 Zach Epperly, dropping an 8-3 decision as Virginia Tech took a 26-0 lead
After dropping the 184-pound bout, Smith put the Mountaineers on the board with his 8-2 decision over Cook at 197. With WVU trailing Virginia Tech 29-3, A.J. Vizcarrondo took on Dan Garwood in the heavyweight bout. Vizcarrondo took a 2-1 lead on a first-period takedown before Garwood rebounded with an escape and a takedown in the second for a 4-3 lead. Vizcarrondo started the third in the defensive position, escaping early to tie the score, 4-4. However, Garwood added two more for a 6-4 lead. Vizcarrondo escaped, but couldn’t generate any offense. Garwood tacked on a point for riding time as Vizcarrondo dropped the 7-5 decision.
The Mountaineers return to the WVU Coliseum on Sunday to host No. 3 NC State in a 1 p.m. dual. A free youth clinic for pre-registered youth teams will take place prior to the match as WVU celebrates Youth Wrestling Day. Tickets for the match at $5 for adults, $3 for children and seniors and $2 for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU-GAME or at the WVU Ticket Office. Students get in free with a valid WVU student ID.
No. 10 Virginia Tech 32, West Virginia 3
125: No. 3 Joey Dance (VT) dec. No. 13/14 Zeke Moisey (WVU), 9-5
133: Dennis Gustafson (VT) major dec. Cory Stainbrook (WVU), 9-1
141: No. 10 Solomon Chishko (VT) major dec. Tony DeAngelo (WVU), 20-6
149: Sal Mastriani (VT) tech. fall Zachary Moore (WVU), 17-1 (5:00)
157: No. 4 Nick Brascetta (VT) major dec. Dylan Cottrell (WVU), 19-6
165: No. 11 David McFadden (VT) dec. Connor Flynn (WVU), 9-2
174: No. 3 Zach Epperly (VT) dec. Ross Renzi (WVU), 8-3
184: Adam Gabel (VT) dec. Bubba Scheffel (WVU), 5-1
197: No. 7 Jacob A. Smith (WVU) dec. Dylan Cook (VT), 8-2
HWT: Dan Garwood (VT) dec. A.J. Vizcarrondo (WVU), 6-5
