The wrestling team fell twice Saturday to top-ranked ACC teams. The

Pack opened up the doubleheader against No. 24 Virginia, losing 45-6,

and followed that up with another loss against No. 14 Virginia Tech,

36-9.

The Wolfpack, now 6-12 in dual matches, was only able to capitalize on

one bout in each match. It also benefitted from a heavyweight forfeit

against Virginia Tech.

According to head coach Carter Jordan, the Pack’s weekend performance

was a huge disappointment.

“I feel embarrassed. I feel frustrated,” Jordan said. “I think

everyone’s very frustrated and ready for Tuesday so we can forget

[Saturday].”

In the first match, Virginia (15-5) won four matches by fall, two by

technical fall and two by major decision. The sole win for the Pack

came in the 165-weight class, where Ray Ward won by injury default.

Ward, up 4-1 in the first period, shot a takedown on Virginia’s Pat

Riley, who then suffered a leg injury that caused him to forfeit the

end of the match.

“This morning wasn’t too good, but we didn’t lose our heads,”

sophomore 174-pounder Quinton Godley said. “We just got to keep the

confidence up.”

Prior to the second match, State celebrated senior day by honoring

Taylor Cummings.

“You get caught up in wins and losses and winning championships, but

really it’s about the relationships you develop with guys like

Taylor,” Jordan said. “It was a reminder for me that as much as we are

struggling right now, he’s going to graduate in the spring and he’s

going to do great. We’re going to miss him.”

Virginia Tech continued to dominate the Pack, wining two bouts by

fall, two by technical fall and one by major decision.

“We are who we are,” Jordan said. “There are certainly things that we

have to do better but when we wrestle really talented programs it

shows. It’s frustrating because we can wrestle a lot better than

that.”

The Hokies forfeited the heavyweight bout, giving freshman Eloheim

Palma the win. It was Palma’s 20th this season, a new school record

for victories by a freshman heavyweight.

The only wrestler of the entire day to win by decision was Godley. He

defeated Virginia Tech’s Taylor Knapp, 6-0.

“I came out strong,” Godley said. “I got the first takedown to keep my

confidence up and played it kind of safe. I let him come to me instead

of coming to him. Maybe I shouldn’t have played him so safe, but a win

is a win.”

At 133, freshman Dale Shull lost a close match to Brock LiVorio,

13-14, after suffering an injury to his ankle. According to Shull,

twisting his ankle was only minor and didn’t affect the match.

“If anything, the injury time helped me breathe,” Shull said. “It

seems like the same story for every match. I do really good things and

then some really bad things and he caught my mistakes, every single

thing.”

Shull mirrored Jordan’s frustration, saying the entire team is in

excellent shape but making mistakes that lead to lost matches.

“Really it’s all north of the neck that we’re losing,” Shull said,

referring to the mental troubles that have plagued the Pack this year.

State competes in its final dual meet Tuesday at Buies Creek, N.C.

against Campbell and Davidson.