Cassell Coliseum	F
Duke	6
(23) Virginia Tech	30
Game Video: Watch

BLACKSBURG - Behind wins in the first five bouts, the 23rd-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team defeated Duke, 30-6, in an Atlantic Coast Conference dual match in front of 784 fans at Cassell Coliseum Saturday evening. In all, Tech won seven of nine contested bouts, while picking up a forfeit at 125 pounds.

Action began at 197 pounds as Nick Vetterlein earned two takedowns in the first period and sealed the match with another takedown in the final seconds to win by a 7-3 decision over Brian Self. Tech’s Chris Penny made it 6-0 Tech with an 8-2 decision over Andrew Fulk at 285 pounds.

After Erik Spjut scored a win via forfeit at 125 pounds to make the score 12-0 in favor of Tech, top-ranked 133-pounder Devin Carter fell behind Brandon Gambucci 4-0 in the first period after a takedown and two nearfall points in which Gambucci briefly had a cradle locked and Carter squirming on his back. But Carter wiggled out, and despite trailing 5-0 early in the second period, he cut the lead to 6-4 at the end of two periods. Carter turned things around quickly in the third period as he scored a takedown and put the Duke man on his back, ending the bout with a pin at 5:21. Despite the scare, Carter picked up his eighth fall of the season.

No. 20 Zach Neibert built a lead thanks to two takedowns and three back points and won by a 9-3 decision over Tanner Hough at 141 pounds. Duke’s AJ Guardado ended the Tech win streak at 149 pounds as he defeated Nick Brascetta, 3-1, in sudden victory, making the score 21-3 Hokies.

At 157 pounds, Cameron Hurd wrestled Immanuel Kerr-Brown in a back-and-forth match which Hurd eventually won, 13-7. Matt Stephens bumped up from 157 pounds to wrestle at 165 and held off Duke’s Ryan Harding to win his first career dual match with an 8-5 decision.

Chris Moon made it four straight decisions for Tech with a 6-4 victory over Randy Roden at 174 pounds. In the final bout of the night between the 184 pounders, Duke’s Diego Bencomo built a 5-1 lead over Tech’s John Dickson and won by decision, 6-3, making the final score 30-6 Hokies.

Tech improves to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the ACC, while Duke falls to 0-4 and 0-2 in the ACC.

The Hokies, ranked No. 23 in the NWCA/USA Today Coaches’ Poll will be back in action tomorrow when they take on North Carolina (2-11, 1-1 ACC) at 2 p.m. in the “Drive For 5,000” match. Admission is free.

#23 Virginia Tech (5-3, 3-1 ACC) 30, Duke (0-4, 0-3 ACC) 6
197: Nick Vetterlein (VT) dec. Brian Self, 7-3
285: Chris Penny (VT) dec. Andrew Fulk, 8-2
125: Erik Spjut (VT) wins by forfeit
133: #1 Devin Carter (VT) fall Brandon Gambucci, 5:21
141: #20 Zach Neibert (VT) dec. Tanner Hough, 9-3
149: AJ Guardado (DU) dec. Nick Brascetta, 3-1 (SV)
157: Cameron Hurd (VT) dec. Immanuel Kerr-Brown, 13-7
165: Matt Stephens (VT) dec. Ryan Harding, 8-5
174: Chris Moon (VT) dec. Randy Roden, 6-4
184: Diego Bencomo (DU) dec. John Dickson, 6-3

For updates on Virginia Tech wrestling, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Wrestling).