Pitt Wrestling
Pitt Wrestling Makes Comeback in Road Victory over Maryland
No. 23 Pitt wrestling fell behind early in their duel with Maryland on the road Monday night but managed to win some late battles to come out victorious, 21-16.
The Panthers (4-1) get revenge on the Terrapins (1-1) for their 18-16 loss at home last season. This is also back-t0-back road wins for the Panthers, who defeated the No. 17 Lehigh Mountain Hawks Sunday afternoon 21-12 for their first ranked victory of the season.
Pitt redshirt senior Colton Camacho (3-4) lost on a fall to start the match last year against Maryland’s Braxton Brown, which eventually led to the loss last season. Camacho faced redshirt sophomore Tommy Capul (0-1) at 125 pounds and dominated his bout, winning 20-4 on technical fall at 5:00 to put Pitt up 5-0.
Terrapins No. 22 redshirt sophomore Braxton Brown (2-3) would defeat Panthers No. 13 Vinnie Santaniello (5-4) at 133 pounds in a close 6-3 decision to get his team their first victory of the duel.
Maryland No. 17 sophomore Kai Miller (5-0) upset by majoring Pitt No. 7 Cole Matthews (3-2) 12-4 at 141 pounds, scoring seven points late on a near fall and then back points. Kai Miller gets revenge on Matthews, who won a 5-1 decision last season, and Matthews now has two losses already when he had just three all of last season.
The Terrapins would win the next two matches as well, with No. 12 redshirt sophomore Ethen Miller (2-0) earning a 7-3 decision over Panthers No. 24 redshirt first-year Finn Solomon (9-2) at 141 pounds and then No. 29 redshirt senior Michael North (3-3) edged out Panthers redshirt first-year Jared Keslar (6-4) in a 4-2 decision at 157 pounds, to take a 13-5 lead.
Pitt would respond with No. 10 redshirt senior Holden Heller (5-0) earning a technical fall, 20-4 at 4:33 on Maryland redshirt sophomore Gavin Bell (2-3) at 165 pounds.
Panthers No. 21 redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine (5-0) defeated Terrapins junior No. 32 Dom Solis (4-3) in a 7-2 decision at 174 pounds. Augustine stays undefeated on the season and enacts revenge on Solis, who he lost to in sudden victory last season.
No. 17 redshirt senior Reece Heller (9-1) would earn a technical fall, 20-5 at 7:00, against Maryland redshirt junior Chase Mielnik (2-4). This gave Pitt the lead, 18-13, and made it back-to-back seasons that Reece Heller defeated Mielnik.
Terrapins No. 10 redshirt sophomore Jaxon Smith (3-1) would defeat Panthers No. 18 redshirt first-year Mac Stout (8-2) in an 8-2 decision at 197 pounds to make the duel come to the last bout of the night.
Pitt No. 13 redshirt first-year Dayton Pitzer (4-1) would win his heavyweight bout against Maryland No. 19 graduate student Seth Nevills (4-2) in a 4-3 decision. Pitzer rode Nevills to earn riding time and a takedown led to the win and the dual victory for Pitt.
Pitt wrestling will have Thanksgiving weekend off before they face off against another Big Ten opponent in Illinois in the home opener at Fitzgerald Field House on Dec.3 at 6 p.m.
