UNC Greensboro 30, N.C. State 7
GREENSBORO, NC ? Chris Bencivenga's upset over No. 18 Joe Caramanica at 141 pounds was the highlight of the night as the UNC Greensboro wrestling team easily defeated NC State, 30-7, on Wednesday night in Fleming Gymnasium. It marked the second-straight year that the Spartans have defeated NC State.
The match of the evening was at 141 pounds where Bencivenga was looking for redemption after losing to Caramanica earlier this season at the Southern Scuffle. Caramanica came out and led 5-0 after almost pinning Bencivenga at the end of the first period. Bencivenga used a reversal in the second period to bring the score within 7-3 after two periods. In the third and final period, Bencivenga capitalized on Caramanica running out of energy to rattle off four quick takedowns midway through the period to upset the 18th ranked wrestler, 13-10.
Junior Victor Hojilla got the Spartans started as he scored a decision over Quinton Godley at 165 pounds. He recorded three reversals and two near-falls as he went on to win, 13-10. At 174 pounds, Jake Burge gave the Wolfpack their only lead of the evening at 4-3, after scoring a 14-4 major decision over Brett Miller.
UNCG wouldn't look back the rest of the night as they went on to win seven of the final eight matches. Mikal McKee scored a second period escape and takedown as he narrowly defeated Mark Jahad, 3-2, at 184 pounds to regain the lead for the Spartans, 6-4.
Jeremy Cannon would make it 11-4 in favor of the home squad as he scored eight takedowns and two near-falls to cruise to a 21-4 technical fall over Joe Trotto. Joe Sheffield kept the momentum rolling as scored an easy major decision, 11-0, against Austin Haigler at 285 pounds.
NC State's Mike Moreno almost stopped the Spartan momentum at 125 pounds, but Mitchell Johnson was able to score a late takedown for the win. After the score was tied after two periods, Johnson scored a takedown with a minute to go to tie the match. Moreno scored a quick escape to take a one point lead, but Johnson was able to finish a takedown with just two seconds remaining to pull out the 6-5 victory.
Darrius Little pulled the Wolfpack within, 18-7, with three matches remaining after scoring a hard-fought, 11-8, win over Casey Boyle at 133 pounds. That was as close as NC State would get on the evening after Bencivenga scored his win at 141 pounds.
Ben Wilmore scored three first period takedowns en route to a 14-7 decision over Sean Smith at 149 pounds to increase the team lead to, 24-7. Andrew Saunders capped off a great evening for UNCG by pinning Wesley Little in the final match of the evening. Saunders recorded an early takedown and near-fall before turning Little and scoring the pin at the 1:34 mark of the first period.
The Spartans will return to the mat on Saturday night as they face their toughest opponent of the season. UNCG will face off against No. 4 Nebraska at 7:30 pm in Chapel Hill, NC.
AGATE
UNC Greensboro 30, NC State 7
165: Victor Hojilla (UNCG) dec. Quinton Godley (NCSU), 13-10 (3-0)
174: Jake Burge (NCSU) maj. dec. Brett Miller (UNCG), 14-4 (3-4)
184: Mikal McKee (UNCG) dec. Mark Jahad (NCSU), 3-2 (6-4)
197: Jeremy Cannon (UNCG) tech. fall Joe Trotto (NCSU), 21-4 (11-4)
285: Joe Sheffield (UNCG) maj. dec. Austin Haigler (NCSU), 11-0 (15-4)
125: Mitchell Johnson (UNCG) dec. Mike Moreno (NCSU), 6-5 (18-4)
133: Darrius Little (NCSU) dec. Casey Boyle (UNCG), 11-8 (18-7)
141: Chris Bencivenga (UNCG) dec. #18 Joe Caramanica (NCSU), 13-10 (21-7)
149: Ben Wilmore (UNCG) dec. Sean Smith (NCSU), 14-7 (24-7)
157: Andrew Saunders (UNCG) fall Wesley Little (NCSU), 1:34 (30-7)
Appalachian State 31, VMI 15
LEXINGTON, Va. ? It was a tale of two matches on Wednesday evening, as the second venue of the evening proved the magic charm for the visitors as Appalachian State won a 31-15 decision in Southern Conference action. The Mountaineers improve to 7-14 overall and 2-2 in the SoCon, while VMI falls to 0-9 overall and 0-4 in the league.
With the match tied at 15 during the 149-pound match, there was a sudden power loss at VMI’s home facility, Cocke Hall. The match resumed approximately an hour later across town at Washington & Lee’s Doremus Gymnasium, which had already hosted a pair of wrestling matches on Wednesday.
The action resumed midway through the first period at 149, and no more than 14 seconds had come off the clock before ASU freshman Savva Kostis pinned VMI freshman Joe Munno. The pin at the two-minute mark put the Mountaineers out in front with two matches remaining.
Sophomore Chip Powell then needed only 1:21 to put the match out of reach for VMI, as the Mountaineer pinned freshman Eric Russo to stake the visitors to a 12-point advantage. ASU freshman Kyle Blevins finished things off with a 10-2 major decision over freshman Matt Brock, spelling the 31-15 final tally.
“Coming into the match, I thought that we could win five matches, and we ended up winning four,” said VMI head coach John Trudgeon. “It would’ve been nice to have our starters at 157 & 165 there at the end, but that’s part of our sport, dealing with guys that are banged up or sick. It really turned out to be two totally different matches, one over at VMI and one over here (at W&L). I thought that 149 would be a good match, and it started out that way, but a mental mistake cost us big. Then we were just out-manned at 157 & 165. We’ve got to pick up the pieces and get back at it. We have a little time off; it’s been a mad rush for us since Thursday. Our objective now is to peak at the Southern Conference Championships, to have our top 10 there both physically and mentally ready to go.
The night started out well for the Keydets, who were hosting their third event in less than a week, winning four of the first five matches to take a 15-6 lead. In the opening bout at 174, VMI freshman Andrew Szymborski held a 5-1 lead going to the third period, and despite ceding three points to his opponent, walked away with a 6-4 decision, thanks in large part to a 1:07 advantage in riding time.
ASU’s Dylan Temple gave the visitors a 6-3 lead by pinning Vinnie Gallo at 5:08, before a thrilling match at 197. Curtis Moore, wrestling his first match for VMI in over two months, took a 1-0 advantage by escaping midway through the second, then rode out David Pritz for the entire third period to lock up the win.
Keydet sophomore Josh Wine continued his incredible home dual record, improving to 7-1 with five pins in his collegiate career in such matches. Just before the second period buzzer, Wine put Brandon Brothers’ shoulders to the mat to put the home team back on top, 12-6.
Redshirt sophomore John Pope kept the ball rolling for VMI at 125, scoring a 5-1 decision to run the Keydets out to their largest lead of the night at 15-6. Pope scored a takedown in the first and a reversal in the second in accruing over 3:30 of riding time on his way his first SoCon dual victory of the year.
The Mountaineer comeback began at 133, where the visitors picked up a free six points via forfeit. At 141, ASU redshirt freshman Michael Kessler opened up what was a close match with a flurry of points in the third period, scoring an 8-2 decision to knot the match at 15.
The match moved to 149, where Kostis held a 2-0 advantage with 1:14 remaining in the first period when Cocke Hall fell to black. The power loss, which affected much of Lexington and Rockbridge County, apparently resulted from a large tree falling across power lines in downtown Lexington.
VMI returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 19, taking on Liberty in Lynchburg at 7 p.m.
Appalachian State 31, VMI 15
174 Andrew Szymborski (VMI) DEC Antionne Jones (Appalachian State); 6-4
184 Dylan Temple (Appalachian State) FALL Vinnie Gallo (VMI); 5:08
197 Curtis Moore (VMI) DEC David Pritz (Appalachian State); 1-0
285 Josh Wine (VMI) FALL Brandon Brothers (Appalachian State); 4:57
125 John Pope (VMI) DEC Austin Annas (Appalachian State); 5-1
133 Frank Celorrio (Appalachian State) For Forfeit (VMI)
141 Michael Kessler (Appalachian State) DEC David Yost (VMI); 8-2
149 Savva Kostis (Appalachian State) FALL Joe Munno (VMI); 2:00
157 Chip Powell (Appalachian State) FALL Eric Russo (VMI); 1:21
165 Kyle Blevins (Appalachian State) MD Matthew Brock (VMI); 10-2