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No. 17 Wrestling Sweeps Three Bouts at ACC Challenge
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 17 Virginia wrestling team swept three matches Sunday at the ACC Challenge at Eddie Smith Field House in Chapel Hill, N.C. UVa capped the day with a 20-19 victory over No. 16 American, marking the Cavaliers’ first-ever win over a ranked team.
Virginia (5-0) earned a 20-15 win over Bucknell in the opening match of the day, then piled up the points in a 50-0 triumph over Gardner-Webb.
In the opener against Bucknell (1-2), UVa rallied from 13-9 deficit by winning the final three weight classes. With the match hanging in the balance and UVa leading 15-13 going into the final bout, heavyweight Calvin Cardillo (Sr., Alexandria, Va.) scored a 16-1 technical fall over the Bison’s Conor Sweeney to propel UVa to a 20-15 win.
UVa then dominated Gardner-Webb (0-4), winning all 10 weight classes in a 50-0 romp. The 50 points is the fifth-highest point total in school history, and the 50-point margin of victory also ranks fifth in school annals. The Cavaliers racked up five falls, while eight matches resulted in bonus points for UVa.
In the finale against American (0-3), the Cavaliers lost the first five classes to drop into a 16-0 hole, then won big at the next four matches to rally. No. 16 Michael Chaires (R-So., Scotia, N.Y.) won by major decision at 165 and No. 3 Chris Henrich (Jr., Lansdale, Pa.) followed with a pin. Mike Salopek (R-Fr., North Huntingdon, Pa.) won by forfeit at 184 and No. 9 Brent Jones (R-Sr., Burke, Va.) then recorded a major decision at 197. Cardillo lost by decision in the finale as UVa squeaked out a 20-19 win.
At 197 pounds, Jones added to his school pins record, recording his 36th career fall against Gardner-Webb’s Travis Porter. Jones posted three wins on the day and now has 85 for his career as he moved into an 11th-place tie with Derek Capanna (1985, 1987-89) on the all-time UVa wins ledger.
Salopek also swept his three matches Sunday to run his season record to 5-0. Henrich suffered his first loss of the year and just his fourth defeat in two seasons, dropping a 10-9 overtime decision to No. 13 Shane Riccio of Bucknell. Henrich rebounded with a vengeance, pinning American’s Thomas Barreiro in just 37 seconds – the fastest fall of Henrich’s career.
Sunday also marked the return of Ross Gitomer (R-Sr., Flemington, N.J.), who made his first appearance after his 2008-09 season ended prematurely because of a knee injury. Gitomer scored a major decision over Gardner-Webb’s Marc Rocha at 125, then moved up to 133 and dropped a 6-1 decision to American’s Thomas Williams.
Freshman Stephen Doty (St. Louis, Mo.) made his college debut at 174 pounds against Gardner-Webb and responded with a pin of Dave Sweeney in 2:28.
UVa is off from team competition next week, although several Cavaliers will compete unattached in the Wolfpack Open on Nov. 21 in Raleigh, N.C., while Chris Henrich will wrestle in the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 22 in Fullerton, Calif. Henrich is slated to take on No. 7 Stephen Dwyer of Nebraska. The Cavaliers return to team competition Nov. 28 at the Northeast Duals.
No. 17 Virginia 20, Bucknell 13
125: Matt Snyder (UVa) dec. Derrik Russell (BU) 8-2; UVa 3-0
133: No. 13 David Marble (BU) major dec. Matt Cubillos (UVa) 9-1; BU 4-3
141: Derek Valenti (UVa) dec. Zac Hancock (BU) 8-5; UVa 6-4
149: Kevin LeValley (BU) dec. Shawn Harris (UVa) 1-0; BU 7-6
157: Dan Gonsor (UVa) dec. Brantley Hooks (BU) 8-3; UVa 9-7
165: No. 6 Andy Rendos (BU) dec. Michael Chaires (UVa) 10-4; BU 10-9
174: No. 13 Shane Riccio (BU) dec. No. 3 Chris Henrich (UVa) 10-9 OT; BU 13-9
184: Mike Salopek (UVa) dec. Rob Waltko (BU) 4-2; BU 13-12
197: No. 9 Brent Jones (UVa) dec. Joe McMullan (BU) 9-7; UVa 15-13
HWT: Calvin Cardillo (UVa) tech. fall Conor Sweeney (BU) 16-1; UVaz 20-13
No. 17 Virginia 50, Gardner-Webb 0
125: Ross Gitomer (UVa) major dec. Marc Rocha (GWU) 18-6; UVa 4-0
133: Matt Cubillos (UVa) dec. Brett Kostern (GWU) 10-5; UVa 7-0
141: Derek Valenti (UVa) pins Kurt Wentick (GWU) 2:40; UVa 13-0
149: Kellon Balum (UVa) dec. Ryan Medved (GWU) 8-1; UVa 16-0
157: Pat Riley (UVa) major dec. Alex Medved (GWU) 8-0; UVa 20-0
165: No. 16 Michael Chaires (UVa) pins David Pelsang (GWU) 3:38; UVa 26-0
174: Stephen Doty (UVa) pins Dave Sweeney (GWU) 2:28; UVa 32-0
184: Mike Salopek (UVa) pins Jonathon Velazquez (GWU) 2:38; UVa 38-0
197: No. 9 Brent Jones (UVa) pins Travis Porter (GWU) 6:56; UVa 44-0
HWT: Calvin Cardillo (UVa) wins via forfeit; UVa 50-0
No. 17 Virginia 20, No. 16 American 19
125: Jasen Borshoff (AU) dec. Matt Snyder (UVa) 2-1; AU 3-0
133: Thomas Williams (AU) dec. Ross Gitomer (UVa) 6-1; AU 6-0
141: Jordan Lipp (AU) dec. Derek Valenti (UVa) 6-2; AU 9-0
149: No. 4 Kyle Borshoff (AU) dec. Kellon Balum (UVa) 3-2; AU 12-0
157: Steve Fittery (AU) major dec. Dan Gonsor (UVa) 17-4; AU 16-0
165: No. 16 Michael Chaires (UVa) major dec. Tanner Shaffer (AU) 13-2; AU 16-4
174: No. 3 Chris Henrich (UVa) pins Thomas Barreiro (AU) 0:37; AU 16-10
184: Mike Salopek (UVa) wins via forfeit; tied 16-16
197: No. 9 Brent Jones (UVa) major dec. Kenneth Clessas (AU) 12-2; UVa 20-16
HWT: Mingo Grant (AU) dec. Calvin Cardillo (UVa) 6-4; UVa 20-19