No. 4 NC State wrestling remained perfect in its first ACC match of the year, defeating the Virginia Cavaliers for the seventh straight year. The Wolfpack (3-0, 1-0 ACC) outscored the Cavaliers (1-1, 0-1 ACC) 23-9 and won all but three of the bouts to improve its nation-leading dual win streak to 20.
No. 6 redshirt sophomore Jakob Camacho and Patrick McCormick got things started at 125 pounds, with Camacho recording three first-period takedowns. He cruised to a 16-7 major decision to give NC State a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
True freshman Ryan Jack made his debut at 133 pounds, and he faced an uphill battle against No. 13 Louis Hayes. Jack had a takedown in the opening period, but entered the second down 5-3, with Hayes holding on to take a 11-6 decision. Putting a backup up against a top-15 wrestler doesn’t always go that well, which speaks to Jack’s potential.
At 141, No. 10 redshirt senior Tariq Wilson drew Brian Courtney. Wilson got off to a hot start with a 6-3 lead entering the second, but Courtney tied things up going into the third with an escape and takedown. Starting down to begin the third, Wilson managed a reversal in the waning moments of the match to take a 8-6 decision and keep the Wolfpack on top.
True freshman Ed Scott got back in the winning column, wrestling Denton Spencer to a 13-1 major decision which included two four-point near falls. With the win, Scott improved to 3-1 on the year.
The first ranked matchup of the day came with No. 2 redshirt senior Hayden Hidlay and No. 16 Justin McCoy at 157 pounds, and it was a tight bout. It was 3-2 Hidlay going into the second, and with an escape and takedown, he secured a 6-3 decision.
The second ranked matchup of the day followed at 165 pounds, though it didn’t go NC State’s way. No. 10 redshirt senior Thomas Bullard fell for the second straight week, this time to No. 19 Jake Keating, who needed only a takedown and two-point near fall to narrowly take a 4-3 decision.
Thomas Bullard’s twin got things back on track for the Wolfpack. No. 12 redshirt senior Daniel Bullard and Vic Marcelli wrestled at 174 pounds, and though Bullard was scoreless going into the final period, an escape and takedown gave him a 3-1 decision victory.
At 184, No. 4 redshirt sophomore Trent Hidlay made his season debut against Michael Battista, easing his way into a 4-0 decision. With that win, NC State pulled ahead 20-6 and the match was all but over.
Redshirt senior Nick Reenan drew No. 3 Jay Aiello at 197 pounds, Reenan’s biggest test of the year thus far, and though he didn’t end up on top, Reenan proved he could hang with the best. The two were scoreless after a period, with the lone points in the match coming from an Aiello escape and a riding-time point, giving him the 2-0 decision.
In the final bout of the day, No. 17 junior Deonte Wilson faced off against No. 19 Quinn Miller, and Wilson remained perfect on the year with a 2-0 decision victory.
Next up, NC State hosts No. 12 Pitt on Jan. 22, its first ranked matchup of the year and one of three straight ranked opponents. The match is at 6 p.m. and will be televised on the ACC Network.
