NC State wrestling opened its home slate Friday night with a commanding performance against App State in a 34-12 victory. With the win, the Wolfpack extended its all-time record against the Mountaineers to 13-0, continuing its dominance in the series.
The Pack (2-0) looked strong in its first dual meet at Reynolds Coliseum, with several wrestlers racking up extra points against the Mountaineers (0-1). Up and down the Pack’s lineup, several wrestlers showcased strong potential for breakout seasons.
The Wolfpack opened up the evening slowly, dropping the 133-pound match. Redshirt sophomore Troy Hohman kept things close after moving up a weight class this year but ultimately fell 7-5 after three periods.
NC State quickly flipped the script starting in the 141-pound weight class. No. 7 redshirt senior Kai Orine gave the Wolfpack a 6-3 lead after the Mountaineers’ Sean Carter suffered an injury default. In his final season with the red-and-white, Orine looks better than ever and is well-positioned for a strong season.
Redshirt freshman Koy Buesgens kept the momentum rolling in the 149-pound bout with a 7-5 decision over Kaden Keiser. Falling behind 2-0 in the second period, Buesgens stormed back for an impressive win.
No. 9 senior Ed Scott followed up with a win of his own in the 157-pound bout. Jumping out to a 10-1 lead, Scott showed no mercy as he eventually forced a tech fall before the third period ended. With the win, Scott tacked on five more points to the Wolfpack’s team total.
In arguably the biggest matchup of the night, NC State’s No. 20 redshirt junior Derek Fields faced off against No. 8 Will Miller. With an opportunity for a massive win, Fields kept Miller off the board in the first period but ultimately fell short, losing 7-3. Nevertheless, the performance showed Fields can hold up against top-tier competition.
No. 25 redshirt sophomore Matty Singleton handled business with ease in a 9-2 win over Luke Uliano. After seizing a 7-0 lead early, Singleton left Uliano no shot of pulling off an upset. No. 14 redshirt sophomore Dylan Fishback followed up Singleton with a win of his own, ending with an injury default for App State’s Tomas Brooker.
No. 30 redshirt senior Christian Knop suffered an upset due to an injury default in the 197-pound bout against Carson Floyd. The loss was App State’s final win of the dual meet as No. 7 redshirt junior Isaac Trumble and redshirt freshman Vince Robinson handled business in the heavyweight and 125-pound bouts.
Next up the Wolfpack will compete in New Jersey at the Journeyman’s Jersey Joste on Sunday, Nov 17. The Pack will face both Rutgers and Princeton in the event.
