Pitt Wrestling
No. 24 Pitt Earns Massive Victory, 26-12, over No. 7 Virginia Tech to Take Top Spot in the ACC
No. 24 Pitt put on a stellar performance to win 26-12 in a duel meet with rival No. 7 Virginia Tech on the road Friday night, putting them on top of the ACC.
The Panthers (8-2 overall, 2-0 ACC) win their third straight match with their victory over the Hokies (7-3 overall, 1-1 ACC). It is also the Panthers first win in Blacksburg, Va. since 2004, when both teams competed in the now-defunct Eastern Wrestling League.
Redshirt junior Colton Camacho (13-6) started the match off for Pitt by pinning Virginia Tech redshirt first-year Cooper Flynn (13-6) 44 seconds into the bout at 125 pounds, putting his team up 6-0.
WINNER » @coltonfr3 at 125 👏
WHAT. A. START. TO. THIS. DUAL.
Colton Camacho pins Cooper Flynn!
Pitt 6, VT 0 » 📺: @ACCNetwork #H2P » @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/yJRLy23PM1
— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) January 28, 2023
Panthers No. 7 redshirt senior Micky Phillippi (9-1) faced off against No. 5 redshirt junior Sam Latona (19-5) in a top 10 battle at 133 pounds. Phillippi wrestled to his strengths, by staying defensive and not allowing easy shots, and won a 3-2 decision in tie breakers after earning nine seconds of riding time.
Pitt No. 3 redshirt senior Cole Matthews (13-1) demonstrated his power as a wrestler at 141 pounds. He used two takedowns en route to a 6-2 decision over Virginia Tech No. 12 first-year Tom Crook (13-6) to put Pitt up 12-0.
The Hokies then used their best wrestlers to try and make a comeback in the match. No. 9 first-year Caleb Henson (16-3) defeated Pitt No. 29 redshirt sophomore Tyler Badgett (14-8) in a 14-2 major decision at 149 pounds. No. 5 senior Bryce Andonian (5-0) also won in a major decision, 14-1, over Pitt No. 33 senior Dazjon Casto (5-6) at 157 pounds, cutting the lead to four.
The Panthers got an important win from No. 23 redshirt senior Holden Heller (9-4) at 165 pounds. Holden Heller stayed strong and didn’t allow Hokies No. 25 redshirt sophomore Connor Brady (10-7) to get any chances to score, as he won in a 2-0 decision.
Virginia Tech No. 3 redshirt senior Mekhi Lewis (13-1) dominated Pitt redshirt first-year Luca Augustine (10-7) in a 14-3 major decision at 174 pounds to cut the lead to just three points.
No. 19 redshirt junior Reece Heller (15-3) essentially sealed the match for the Panthers at 184 pounds. He pinned Hokies No. 7 first-year Hunter Bolen (15-4) at 4:32 in the second period. The head referee deducted a point from Reece Heller for unsportsmanlike conduct after his celebration, but he put the Panthers up 20-12 anyways.
"THAT'S RIGHT!" 🗣️ @ReeceHeller
HE PINS #7 HUNTER BOLEN 🔥
CASSELL COLISEUM IS SO QUIET 🤫
Pitt 20, VT 12 » 📺: @ACCNetwork #H2P » @NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/XcTrQmPCkx
— Pitt Wrestling (@Pitt_WRES) January 28, 2023
Pitt No. 2 redshirt senior Nino Bonaccorsi (10-0) stayed perfect on the season with a solid 3-1 decision over Virginia Tech No. 22 redshirt sophomore Andy Smith (11-7). Bonaccorsi’s victory at 197 pounds officially won Pitt the match.
Panthers fan favorite No. 5 first-year Dayton Pitzer (6-1) took on Hokies No. 23 redshirt sophomore Hunter Catka (13-5) in the heavyweight match. Pitzer battled hard with Catka and won on a neutral danger call for a 5-3 sudden victory.
Pitt returns back home for two matches next weekend. They face off against ACC opponent North Carolina at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3 at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt also takes on No. 6 Iowa State at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Fitzgerald Field House.
Awesome. Go Pitt!!