No. 20 Cavaliers Down Appalachian State, 29-12 |
UVa wins at seven of 10 weight classes, scores bonus points in four classes
Dear Friends,
This past weekend we took on the current Southern Conference champion Appalachian State program down in Boone, NC. We knew going into the dual meet that we had our work cut out for us. They have had a very good season (they were 11-3 coming into the match) and have two wrestlers ranked in the top 12 nationally. To add a little more pressure we took the trip down without two of our top guys. Both Matt Nelson (ranked 20th at 133) and Jon Fausey (ranked 14th at 184) on on the mend and didn't compete this weekend. So, in short, I was very impressed again with our guys. They continued to wrestle tough and looked to score points in bunches. As you know, this has been a focus for our program this season and we continue to see great results b/c of this mindset. I have attached the link to the official release, but here is my short recap of each bout:
125: Matt Snyder was unable to compete due to an injury for this dual. We expect him back soon though.
133: Joe Martinez filled in for Matt Nelson and did a spectacular job. He racked up 16 points using a variety of different takedowns and turns. He really looked great. He's so fun to watch b/c he has a great motor, never gets tired and is fearless. He'll pretty much try anything out there on the mat. At one point in this bout, he took a shot, got stuffed, hit a snap down and tried to re-attack and then hit an over/under pancake and put his opponent to his back for a five point move. He did this in matter of 10 seconds. I don't know many guys that can wrestle like that!
141: Nick Nelson took on a very tough opponent in Mike Kessler. Kessler has been around for a long time and has 30 wins on the season so we knew this match would be tightly contested. Nick was able to get a reversal and ride out his opponent for a solid and controlled 3-0 win.
149: Gus Sako just continues to amaze us more and more each week. His opponent, Sava Kostis, is a tough, powerful kid and somebody that is not easy to score on at all. But Gus went right out and hit a hip toss to start the match and never looked back. He ended the match w/ a major decision and upped his record to 16-5 on the year.
157: Jedd Moore was put on one of the most impressive performances of the night earning a technical fall victory. It is extremely difficult to tech fall anyone, let alone a tough competitor, so we were very happy w/ what Jedd did out there. He was able to put together shots from both sides and locked up a beautiful cradle for 5 points to end the match and get the tech.
165: Nick Sulzer took on #11 ranked Kyle Blevins of App State in what was the most closely contested bout of the night. In the first period Nick got in on two very nice sweep singles but was unable to finish. In the second period w/ the score at 1-0 Blevins, Nick got in on yet another deep shot but was unable to finish on the edge of the mat. In the third period Nick choose bottom and got in a crazy scramble and ended up on his back. This mistake was the difference in the match. The ref awarded a 3 point nearfall and that put the match out of reach. Nick obviously has to work on a few specific positions, but we were very happy w/ his approach and effort in the bout. He hand fought hard and took several shots and we can never be upset when our guys are the aggressor. One thing we constantly tell our kids is to ask themselves after the match "did I learn and did I get better"....after this match, if Nick asked himself this, he could answer with an honest YES. He took another step in his journey irregardless of the outcome and we are excited to get back to work w/ him this week.
174: Vin "the pin" Waldhauser lived up to his nickname and earned a big fall that got the momentum of the dual right back in our favor. Vinny came out and scored on two takedowns and started racking up riding time fast. In the second period he went right for the big move and earned the fall in 4:05. It has been really neat to see Vinny's development. He is only a first year here....can't wait to see him in a few years. It could be scary.
184: Another first year, Nick Kidd, filled in for Jon Fausey at this weight. It was Nick's first time in the starting line up for us this season and he was so pumped for the opportunity. He fought hard but in the end lost 8-3 to #10 ranked Austin Trotman (who is one of the most talented kids in the nation at this weight).
197: Ryan Malo got back on track w/ a 10-2 major decision at this weight. Ryan has competed against some great kids as of late, so it was really nice to see him get back into his positions out there. He did a nice job on top and controlled the bout from the second period on.
Hwt: Derek Papp won by a score of 5-2. The bout was close late in the third period w/ the score at 3-2 in Derek's favor but he was able to ice the win w/ a go behind takedown late to push his record to 9-2 on the season.
We take on top 25 ranked Old Dominion this weekend so there is no rest for the weary here. ODU is a "hot" team right now and our guys need to be ready. Please come out and watch us at Mem Gym at 2pm this Sunday. Till then, here is the official release on our team's performance:
Steve Garland
Head Wrestling Coach
The University of Virginia
PO Box 400844
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4844
Work: 434-982-5738
Cell: 434-962-0171
Fax: 434-243-7339
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