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BLACKSBURG – With things knotted up at 18 apiece and one match remaining, Tech sophomore heavyweight David Marone came through in a big way, picking up a major decision to lift the Virginia Tech wrestling team to a 22-18 victory over George Mason Sunday evening at Cassell Coliseum in the season opener for both squads.

The match began at 125 pounds where Tech freshman Brock LiVorio used a pair of first-period takedowns to control the action and take a 7-1 decision over Brian Wright. The Patriots took the lead at 133 pounds when Denny Herndon pinned Jared Jones at the 4:34 mark.

Moving to 141 pounds, Tech sophomore Chris Diaz dominated Ryan Watson with a 16-0 technical fall in a match that was stopped at the 4:22 mark. After a takedown, Diaz turned Watson four times in the first period before ending it in the second period. Highly touted Pete Yates stepped on the mat next for the Hokies and didn’t disappoint, winning 10-0 over Maurice Fleming at 149 pounds. Leading 3-0 heading to the final stanza, Yates turned Fleming twice for six points in the final two minutes to pick up the major decision.

Jesse Dong picked up a workmanlike 3-0 decision over Jake Bohn at 157 pounds to give the Hokies a 15-6 lead. With things seemingly in hand, defending ACC champion and 19th-ranked Matt Epperly was up next at 165 pounds and had a comfortable 12-3 lead heading to the final period. But Kramer Whitelaw chose the top position to start the third period and quickly locked a cradle up and pinned Epperly just eight seconds into the period to make it 15-12.

Bagna Tovuujav beat Tech redshirt freshman Anthony Trongone 9-5 at 174 pounds to tie the match up with three bouts remaining. Tommy Spellman nearly had a major decision, but had to settle for an 8-1 decision over Bill Widener at 184 pounds, and then 11th-ranked Cayle Byers of GMU beat Tech’s D.J. Bruce 9-4 to put it all on the big boys.

Marone, the runner-up in the ACC last year, didn’t give the Patriots a chance, using seven takedowns, a reversal and an escape to cruise to the 18-5 major decision over freshman Hunter Manspile and locking up the dual meet win.

Tech (1-0) will compete in a couple of individual tournaments before returning to the mats as a team on Nov. 30. The Hokies will take on Chattanooga and Anderson at UTC that day in a doubleheader.

Virginia Tech (1-0) 22
George Mason (0-1) 18

125 Brock LiVorio (VT) dec. Brian Wright, 7-1
133 Denny Herndon (GMU) fall Jared Jones, 4:34
141 Chris Diaz (VT) TF Ryan Watson, 16-0 (4:22)
149 Pete Yates (VT) maj. dec. Maurice Fleming, 10-0
157 Jesse Dong (VT) dec. Jake Bohn, 3-0
165 Kramer Whitelaw (GMU) fall #19 Matt Epperly, 5:08
174 Bagna Tovuujav (GMU) dec. Anthony Trongone, 9-5
184 Tommy Spellman (VT) dec. Bill Widener, 8-1
197 #11 Cayle Byers (GMU) dec. D.J. Bruce, 9-4
285 David Marone (VT) maj. dec. Hunter Manspile, 18-5

Referee: J.R. Johnson
Attendance: 505

For updates on Virginia Tech wrestling, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Wrestling).