In its second ACC matchup of the year, the N.C. State wrestling team suffered a heartbreaking loss to No. 17 Virginia Tech by a score of 17-16. The Wolfpack is now 0-4 against ranked opponents in the 2014 season.
Entering Sunday, State (11-4, 0-2 ACC) had won four of its last five matches, scoring at least 30 points in each of the four victories. The Hokies (15-2, 4-1 ACC) were also on a hot streak, winning its last four, including three contests against ACC teams.
There were plenty of nationally ranked wrestlers in action on Sunday, with both teams combining for 13 starters in the top 32 of their respective weight classes.
The match started with the 184 weight class, which Virginia Tech took by major decision, giving the Hokies a four-point lead.
In the second match-up of the night, N.C. State redshirt senior KaRonne Jones (197) defeated his opponent, Virginia Tech No. 22 redshirt senior Chris Penny, in double overtime, 2-1. Jones earned the win after managing to escape in the second overtime. Though he had his leg held for the majority of the match, Jones never succumbed to a takedown.
No. 5 Redshirt sophomore Nick Gwiazdowski (285) solidified his standing as a top-five wrestler in the nation, as he defeated yet another ranked opponent. His 14-6 major-decision victory gave the Pack its first lead after three matches.
State dropped the other three matches in the first half in the 184, 125 and 133 weight classes, giving Tech an 11-7 lead going into halftime. Head coach Pat Popolizio said that the two major decision losses in the first half ended up hurting the team.
“You can’t ever put it on one guy,” Popolizio said. “But we needed some other guys not to give up some bonus points.”
State earned its second double overtime win of the match from No. 25 sophomore Sam Speno (141), as he defeated Virginia Tech redshirt-senior Erik Spjut by a score of, 4-3. Speno trailed for the majority of his bout, but with less than a minute left, Spjut was penalized for stalling and gave up a tie, taking the match to overtime. Last season, Spjut topped Speno three times in the 133-weight class.
“It feels great to beat him finally,” Speno said.
Things got chippy between No. 18 junior Tommy Gantt (157) and his opponent, as the referee had to warn the two multiple times for continuing to go at each other after going out of bounds. Gantt ended the match on top, 4-2, after landing a takedown late in the third period.
In the 165-weight class, senior Nijel Jones lost a tight match, allowing his opponent to come back from four down to win 10-8. The decision gave Virginia Tech a 17-13 lead heading into the final match.
Though No. 20 freshman Pete Renda (174) won the final match definitively, he was not able to get the major decision and the four points needed to tie the match.
Compared to last season’s, 40-6, defeat to the Hokies, the one-point loss was a major improvement, Popolizio said.
“We knew that going in, we had a pretty tough match ahead of us,” Popolizio said. “It’s a step in the right direction.”
The wrestling team will continue its four-game home stretch against UNC-Chapel Hill on Friday in Reynolds Coliseum. State will be looking for its first win against the Tar Heels in seven years.
