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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia wrestling team split its first two home matches of the season on Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium, topping UNC Greensboro, 27-13, before dropping a 28-15 decision to Rutgers.
Rocco Caponi (Sr., Uniontown, Ohio) won both of his matches as he became just the sixth wrestler in Virginia history to earn 100 career wins. Caponi, ranked 17th nationally by InterMat, won his 100th match with a 5-4 triumph over UNCG’s Mikal McGee at 184 pounds. He followed it up by dominating McPaul Ogbanna of Rutgers in a 15-0 technical fall. With win No. 101, Caponi moved into a fifth-place tie on the all-time Virginia wins ledger with Jason Mutarelli (1994-95, 1997-98). He has an opportunity to move into a third-place tie with a victory Sunday vs. Appalachian State.
Virginia (6-7) dropped into 10-0 holes in each match. In the opener, Virginia rallied by winning seven of the final eight bouts to defeat UNCG (1-9). The Cavaliers forfeited in both matches at 133 pounds after starter and reigning ACC Wrestler of the Week Matt Bonson (Fr., Lewistown, Pa.) suffered an injury in practice this week. At 125, UVa competed with Wyatt Anderson (So., Richmond, Va.), who rejoined the team this week after all of the Cavaliers’ 125-pounders suffered season-ending injuries.
Nick Nelson (So., Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked 20th nationally, scored two big wins at 141 for Virginia, defeating UNCG’s Chris Bencivenga before a 9-3 victory over Trevor Melde of Rutgers. Nelson improved to 19-6 this season.
Chris Henrich (So., Lansdale, Pa.) posted two dominating wins at 174 with a tech fall over UNCG’s Brett Miller and an 8-2 decision over Rutgers’ Mike Whalen. Henrich, ranked 10th nationally, pushed his record to 25-1 this season.
At 197 pounds, 19th-ranked Brent Jones (Jr., Burke, Va.) moved his record to 19-4 and his winning streak to six with two wins. Jones won a 15-9 decision over UNCG’s Jeremy Cannon, then nabbed a 10-1 major decision over Karim Mahmoud of Rutgers.
In a neutral-site match to start the day, Rutgers (17-4) downed UNCG, 25-16.
Virginia returns to its home mat at 2 p.m. Sunday, playing host to Appalachian State.
Virginia 27, UNC Greensboro 13
125: Mitchell Johnson (UNCG) major dec. Wyatt Anderson (UVa), 13-2; UVa 0, UNCG 4
133: Casey Boyle (UNCG) wins by forfeit; UVa 0, UNCG 10
141: No. 20 Nick Nelson (UVa) dec. Chris Bencivenga (UNCG), 5-3; UVa 3, UNCG 10
149: Peter Ferrara (UVa) pinned Ben Wilmore (UNCG), 5:34; UVa 9, UNCG 10
157: No. 20 Jedd Moore (UVa) dec. Andrew Saunders (UNCG), 11-4; UVa 12, UNCG 10
165: Mike Sewell (UVa) major dec. Victor Hojilla (UNCG), 18-5; UVa 16, UNCG 10
174: No. 10 Chris Henrich (UVa) tech fall Brett Miller (UNCG), 17-2; UVa 21, UNCG 10
184: No. 17 Rocco Caponi (UVa) dec. Mikal McKee (UNCG), 5-4; UVa 24, UNCG 10
197: No. 19 Brent Jones (UVa) dec. Jeremy Cannon (UNCG), 15-9; UVa 27, UNCG 10
285: Joe Sheffield (UNCG) dec. Calvin Cardillo (UVa), 3-1; UVa 27, UNCG 13
Rutgers 28, Virginia 15
125: Matt Fusco (RU) major dec. Wyatt Anderson (UVa), 10-1; UVa 0, RU 4
133: Brian Bollette (RU) wins by forfeit; UVa 0, RU 10
141: Nick Nelson (UVa) dec. Trevor Melde (RU), 9-3; UVa 3, RU 10
149: David Greenwald (RU) pinned Kellon Balum (UVa), 6:50; UVa 3, RU 16
157: No. 15 Scott Winston (RU) dec. No. 20 Jedd Moore (UVa), 6-3; UVa 3, RU 19
165: Matt Pletcher (RU) SV Mike Sewell (UVa), 3-1; UVa 3, RU 22
174: No. 10 Chris Henrich (UVa) dec. Mike Whalen (RU), 8-2; UVa 6, RU 22
184: No. 17 Rocco Caponi (UVa) tech fall McPaul Ogbanna (RU), 15-0; UVa 11, RU 22
197: No. 19 Brent Jones (UVa) major dec. Karim Mahmoud (RU) 10-1; UVa 15, RU 22
285: DJ Russo (RU) pinned Calvin Cardillo (UVa) 2:40; UVa 15, RU 28
Rutgers 25, UNC Greensboro 16
125: Mitchell Johnson (UNCG) dec. Mike Demarco (RU), 11-5; RU 0, UNCG 3
133: Brian Bollette (RU) dec. Casey Boyle (UNCG), 3-0; RU 3, UNCG 3
141: Chris Bencivenga (UNCG) dec. Trevor Melde (RU), 6-1; RU 3, UNCG 6
149: David Greenwald (RU) pinned Ben Wilmore (UNCG), 1:16; RU 9, UNCG 6
157: No. 15 Scott Winston (RU) pinned Andrew Saunders (UNCG), 1:14; RU 15, UNCG 6
165: Matt Pletcher (RU) major dec. Victor Hojilla (UNCG), 10-0; RU 19, UNCG 6
174: Mike Whalen (RU) pinned Brett Miller (UNCG), 3:48; RU 25, UNCG 6
184: Ryan Sughrue (UNCG) dec. McPaul Ogbanna (RU), 7-4; RU 25, UNCG 9
197: Jeremy Cannon (UNCG) dec. Karim Mahmoud (RU), 5-3; RU 25, UNCG 12
285: Joe Sheffield (UNCG) major dec. Sean DeDeyn (RU), 9-1; RU 25, UNCG 16