Virginia Wrestling Tops Princeton, 30-6

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia wrestling team picked up wins in eight of 10 weight classes in a 30-6 victory over Princeton Saturday afternoon at Memorial Gymnasium. Matt Snyder (R-So., Lewistown, Pa.) notched the big win of the day for Virginia, a 6-3 decision over 14th-ranked Garrett Frey of Princeton.

Virginia improved to 15-5 in dual action, while Princeton fell to 3-7 in duals.

The feature match of the day was the first one, with Snyder matching up with Frey. Snyder started fast with an early takedown, then racked up 1:46 in riding time before Frey escaped. Snyder chose the top position to start the second period and rode Frey for the entire period. He scored three points when he pulled Frey into a cradle and picked up the near fall points. Frey was able to score a takedown late in the third, but Snyder still earned the riding time point and won, 6-3.

Joe Spisak (Fr., Boiling Springs, Pa.) continued the UVa momentum with a 16-0 tech fall against Joe DeQuinzio at 133 pounds. Spisak built 2:35 of riding time in the first period in grabbing a 4-0 lead, then piled on the points in the second, which included a trio of near falls. He quickly scored a takedown in the final period to end the match on the technical fall. It marked Spisak’s 19th win of the year.

Princeton got on the board at 141 pounds when Zachary Bintliff picked up a 5-2 decision over Virginia’s Gus Sako (Fr., Cleveland, Ohio). The match was tied at two entering the final stanza, but Bintliff controlled the third period, scoring an early takedown and erasing a 35-second riding time advantage before winning the riding time point (1:07).

UVa countered at 149 pounds, where Derek Valenti (Jr., Newton, N.J.) earned his fourth straight win, a 2-0 decision against Brandon Rolnick. Neither wrestler scored in the first two periods, although Valenti rode Rolnick for all of the second to pile up two minutes of riding time. Valenti scored an early escape in the third before picking up the riding time point.

Princeton’s final win came at 157 pounds, as Daniel Kolodzik scored a 6-3 win over UVa’s Nicky Gordon (R-Fr., Kingston, Pa.). Gordon fell behind 5-0 before making a late charge with a takedown in the final seconds.

Jedd Moore (R-So., Mount Vernon, Ohio) was impressive again at 165 pounds, as he pinned Andrew Lowy 58 seconds into the second period. Moore led 6-2 after three first-period takedowns, then got Lowy on his back in the second and brought the crowd to its feet with his second pin of the year.

At 174 pounds, fourth-ranked Chris Henrich (Sr., Lansdale, Pa.) methodically dominated Ryan Callahan in an 18-5 major decision. Henrich picked up takedown after takedown as he won his ninth straight bout by major decision, tech fall or pin. He is now 24-1 this season and boasts a school-record 125 career wins.

UVa won at 184 pounds as 19th-ranked Jon Fausey (R-Fr., Dalmatia, Pa.) earned a 2-1 win over Michael Erdman to improve to 21-6 this year. Neither wrestler recorded a takedown, but Fausey racked up 1:33 in riding time for the deciding point in the win.

Wrestling up two weight classes, Stephen Doty (So., St. Louis, Mo.) earned a 6-1 win over Daniel Santoro at 197 pounds. Doty picked up his 20th win of the year; he scored an early first-period takedown and was in control throughout the bout.

Jack Danilkowicz (R-Sr., Green Oaks, Ill.) finished off the Virginia win with a 5-0 triumph over Charles Fox at heavyweight. The lone point in the first two periods came on a Danilkowicz escape, but after Fox chose the bottom position to start the third, Danilkowicz got him on his back and nearly picked up the pin before settling for a three-point near fall. He rode Fox the entire third period to gain the riding time point and the win.

UVa returns to ACC competition next Saturday (Feb. 5) when it travels to No. 6 Virginia Tech for a 7 p.m. bout.

Virginia 30, Princeton 6
125: Matt Snyder (Virginia) dec. No. 14 Garrett Frey (Princeton), 6-3; UVa 3-0
133: Joe Spisak (Virginia) tech fall Joe DeQuinzio (Princeton), 16-0 (5:15); UVa 8-0
141: Zach Bintliff (Princeton) dec. Gus Sako (Virginia), 5-2; UVa 8-3
149: Derek Valenti (Virginia) dec. Brandon Rolnick (Princeton), 2-0; UVa 11-3
157: Daniel Kolodzik (Princeton) dec. Nicky Gordon (Virginia), 6-3; UVa 11-6
165: Jedd Moore (Virginia) pinned Andrew Lowy (Princeton), 3:58; UVa 17-6
174: No. 4 Chris Henrich (Virginia) major dec. Ryan Callahan (Princeton), 18-5; UVa 21-6
184: No. 19 Jon Fausey (Virginia) dec. Michael Erdman (Princeton), 2-1; UVa 24-6
197: Stephen Doty (Virginia) dec. Daniel Santoro (Princeton), 6-1; UVa 27-6
285: Jack Danilkowicz (Virginia) dec. Charles Fox (Princeton). 5-0; UVa 30-6