No. 22 Cavaliers Entertain No. 13 Maryland at 1 p.m. Sunday
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The 22nd-ranked Virginia wrestling team concludes ACC dual action at 1 p.m. Sunday when it plays host to undefeated and 13th-ranked Maryland in a big match at Memorial Gymnasium.
Live results will be available at VirginiaSports.com.
There is no charge for admission. Free Domino’s pizza and soda will be available while supplies last. Free parking will be available in the Culbreth Road Garage.
Virginia (6-1, 3-1 ACC) has won its last four dual matches, including three ACC duals over the last two weeks. The Cavaliers topped Duke (39-3) and North Carolina (24-10) convincingly last weekend at Mem Gym. UVa won 16 of its 20 individual matches against the Blue Devils and Tar Heels. Maryland (12-0) owns a 2-0 ACC mark heading into its dual at North Carolina Friday night.
The match with Maryland will feature several of the nation’s top wrestlers. Ten of the 20 wrestlers who are scheduled to compete are ranked among the top 20 nationally at their respective weight classes – four from Virginia and six from Maryland.
Top-20 matchups are anticipated at 125 and 165 pounds. At 125, 10th-ranked Matt Snyder (R-Jr., Lewistown, Pa.) is slated to match up with No. 19 Shane Gentry of Maryland. At 165, No. 14 Nick Sulzer (R-Fr., Cleveland, Ohio) of UVa is scheduled to wrestle undefeated and second-ranked Josh Asper, who owns a 20-0 mark this season. Sulzer has racked up a team-high 19 wins this season and has a 19-4 record.
The 133-pound matchup also is intriguing, with UVa’s Matt Nelson (Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) slated to face Maryland’s Geoffrey Alexander. The two each are ranked in the NCAA’s first Coaches Panel Rankings (Nelson 22nd, Alexander 26th). At 157 UVa’s Jedd Moore (R-Jr., Mount Vernon, Ohio) will wrestle No. 11 Kyle John of Maryland. Moore was 23rd in the NCAA’s Coaches Panel Rankings, while John stood 13th.
In addition to Snyder and Sulzer, UVa boasts two more ranked wrestlers – No. 9 Nick Nelson (R-Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) at 141 and No. 14 Jon Fausey (R-So., Dalmatia, Pa.) at 184. Nelson owns an 18-2 record this season, while Fausey is 16-3.
Three more Terrapins appear in the national rankings, including a pair in the top 10 – No. 5 Christian Boley (25-1) at 197 and No. 8 Spencer Myers (16-5) at heavyweight. Jimmy Sheptock stands No. 15 at 174.
Maryland has won the last five matchups with Virginia and owns a 40-20 edge in the all-time series. The teams had a thrilling dual last year in College Park, with Maryland capturing the final bout to earn a 19-16 victory.
Virginia wrestles another tough foe on Saturday, Feb. 4, when Rutgers visits Charlottesville for a 6 p.m. dual at Mem Gym.
Sunday Probables
Virginia Cavaliers (6-1, 3-1 ACC)
125: No. 10 Matt Snyder (17-3)
133: Matt Nelson (14-3)
141: No. 9 Nick Nelson (18-2)
149: Gus Sako (13-5)
157: Jedd Moore (15-5)
165: No. 14 Nick Sulzer (19-4)
174: Vinny Waldhauser (17-11)
184: No. 14 Jon Fausey (16-3)
197: Ryan Malo (14-9)
285: Derek Papagianopoulos (7-1)
Maryland Terrapins (12-0, 2-0 ACC)
125: No. 19 Shane Gentry (12-3) or Jenkins Monzey (3-5)
133: Geoffrey Alexander (18-8)
141: Frank Goodwin (10-8) or Lou Mascola (8-9)
149: Ben Dorsay (12-8)
157: No. 11 Kyle John (18-7) or Domenic DeRobertis (10-8)
165: No. 2 Josh Asper (20-0)
174: No. 15 Jimmy Sheptock (20-4) or Corey Peltier (5-4)
184: Ty Snook (13-11)
197: No. 5 Christian Boley (25-1)
285: No. 8 Spencer Myers (16-5) or Ryan Gray (0-3)
individual rankings according to InterMat