No. 7 CMU wrestling team beats No. 15 Virginia Tech
A five-hour wait alongside the road was not enough to keep the No. 7 CMU wrestling team from defeating No. 15 Virginia Tech 21-17 on Friday night.
Central's bus broke down in West Virginia and CMU did not make it to Blacksburg, Va., until two and a half hours before the match started.
“I think we're better than what we wrestled at some weight classes,” head coach Tom Borrelli said. “I don't like to make excuses, but I think the day wore on us.”
The match started with CMU taking the only bout between ranked opponents as No. 9 Matt Steintrager defeated No. 14 Jarrod Garnett 7-4.
“I was up 6-0 after the second and I gave up a reversal and a couple of stalling points, but I don't think he was really in the match,” Steintrager said.
No. 9 Scotti Sentes scored a major decision against Brock LiVorio, 13-0, to give CMU an early 7-0 lead.
From there, the Hokies scored victories in the next four weight classes, including scoring decisions against No. 11 Tony D'Alie at 149 pounds and No. 17 Tyler Grayson at 165 pounds, to give Virginia Tech a 13-7 lead.
The Chippewas and Hokies then traded major decisions at 174 and 184 pounds. At 184, freshman Dillon Kern wrestled the first match of his career, falling to No. 19 Tommy Spellman, 13-2.
“We're not quite sure with Mike Miller and whether or not he is going to be able to come back,” Borrelli said. “We just feel like we have to get someone ready at that weight class and we needed to give Dillon a chance and get him some mat time.”
With the Chippewas down 17-11, senior Eric Simaz scored a major decision against Chris Penny, 8-0, before Jarod Trice scored a forfeit win to give Central six more team points.
