January 28, 2006

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia Tech wrestling team fell to the University of Virginia, 25-15, Saturday night at Memorial Gym in Atlantic Coast Conference action. Four Tech wrestlers picked up victories, but it wasn't enough as the Hokies fell to 0-2 in ACC play.

The match began with the heavyweights as Mike Faust, ranked 10^th in country, needed four extra minutes of wrestling to pick up a victory over Nick Smith. After a scoreless first period, Smith picked up an escape in the second period before Faust escaped to start the third period. Neither wrestler scored in the first one-minute overtime, but Faust was warned for stalling. In the second overtime, each wrestler picked up an escape, and Faust held the advantage in riding time. In the third overtime, neither wrestled scored, sending the match to a fourth overtime. Again, both wrestlers picked up escapes, but in the end, Faust held a six second advantage in riding to win the match, 4-3, based on criteria in the second tiebreaker. Faust, who is on a 10-match winning streak, is now 26-6 on the season.

Moving to 125 pounds, Virginia tied the match up when Anthony Burke picked up a 6-5 decision over Justin Staylor. Staylor gave up a reversal with under 15 seconds left to tie the match up at 5-5 and Burke picked up a bonus point on riding time to win 6-5.

At 133 pounds, Virginia's Eric Albright picked up a 14-4 major decision over Sheridan Moran to give UVa a 7-3 lead.

At 141 pounds, 16^th-ranked David Hoffman dominated Peter Ferrara from the start, eventually picking up a pin at the 2:36 mark. Hoffman picked up two takedowns early and then took a 10-1 lead with two three-point near fall combinations. After cutting Ferrara loose, he again took him down, this time right to his back and eventually picked up the fall late in the first period. Hoffman is now 22-6 on the season and 107-28 for his career. The three-time NCAA qualifier has put up a 52-9 dual meet record for his career.

At 149 pounds, Virginia's Drew DiPasquale picked up a 16-1 technical fall over Joe Thompson as the first period ended to put the Cavs up 12-9.

Moving to 157 pounds, Tech freshman Dave Kiley picked up his first ACC win with a 3-1 decision over Mike Sewell. Sewell led 1-0 after two periods, but Kiley started the third period with an escape and eventually got a takedown late in the match and held Sewell down the rest of the way to pick up his fourth collegiate victory.

The match then moved to 165 pounds as UVa's Damian Johnson picked up a 7-2 decision over Tech's Tucker Michels.

At 174 pounds, Tech's Steve Ratley picked up his second ACC win in as many nights, this time beating Mike Grogan, 10-6. He led 4-2 following one period after recording two early takedowns. He got another takedown in the second period and then got a takedown and a stall warning point in the third. He gave up a takedown late, but earned a bonus point for riding time to account for the final score. The final wrestled match saw Virginia's Kyle Narkiewicz pick up a 14-6 major decision over Mark Czarny at 184 pounds.

At 197 pounds, Tech forfeited to Brent Jones to end the match.

Tech will return to ACC action Thursday night, taking on the University of North Carolina in a 7 p.m., match at St. Christopher's High School in Richmond, Va. For more information, including ticket prices, visit http://www.wrestling-rumble.com/ or click on the link on the wrestling front page. The featured match will come at heavyweight as Faust is scheduled to take on UNC's Spencer Nadolsky, who is ranked 12^th in the country.

Virginia         25
Virginia Tech    15
285  #10 M. Faust (VT) dec. N. Smith, 4-3 (TB-2)
125  A. Burke (VA) dec. J. Staylor, 6-5
133  E. Albright (VA) maj. dec. S. Moran, 14-4
141  #16 D. Hoffman (VT) fall P. Ferrara, 2:36
149  D. DiPasquale (VA) tech. fall J. Thompson, 3:00 (16-1)
157  D. Kiley (VT) dec. M. Sewell, 3-1
165  D. Johnson (VA) dec. T. Michels, 7-2
174  S. Ratley (VT) dec. M. Grogan, 10-6
184  K. Narkiewicz (VA) maj. dec. M. Czarny, 14-6
197  B. Jones (VA) win by forfeit