January 6, 2013
Tech rolls to 41-0 shutout win over Duke
Garnett, Yates pick up pins for 11th-ranked Hokies

BLACKSBURG - The 11th-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team rolled to a 41-0 shutout victory over Duke Sunday afternoon inside Cassell Coliseum to improve to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in the ACC.

Things kicked off at 125 pounds with fourth-ranked Jarrod Garnett pinning Peter Terrezza early in the third period. In the third stanza, Garnett countered a Terrezza shot and took him down right to his back, picking up the pin at the 5:48 mark. At 133 pounds, Duke’s Brandon Gambucci got a takedown six seconds in, but in the second period Tech's Erik Spjut locked in a cradle for three points in the second stanza and held on for the 5-3 win.

Moving to 141 pounds, 13th-ranked Zach Neibert got a takedown in the first period and a reversal in the second period, but had to hold off two takedowns from Tanner Hough to hold on for a tight 6-5 win. At 149 pounds, sixth-ranked Nick Brascetta won by forfeit before sixth-ranked Jesse Dong turned Immanuel Kerr-Brown at will en route to a 15-0 technical fall at 157 pounds.

With the win Sunday, Dong moved within one victory of tying the school record for career dual meet wins. He sports a 57-6 all-time mark in dual meets while the record of 58 is held by both Sean Gray and Chris Martin. Dong is also now 96-20 for his career and sits just four wins away from becoming the eighth all-time member of the school’s 100-win club. He would join teammates Garnett (sixth at 108 wins) and Yates (tied fourth at 113 wins) in the club.

At 165 pounds, fifth-ranked Pete Yates got taken down by Randy Roden in the first 10 seconds, but Yates quickly righted the ship, taking Roden down and turning him for the pin just 1:20 in to make it 29-0. Austin Gabel then used a takedown in the second period and riding time to beat Trey Adamson 4-1 at 174 pounds.

Nick Vetterlein picked up a pair of takedowns in the second period and then iced an 8-6 win over former ACC champ Diego Bencomo with a takedown late in the match at 184 pounds. At 197 pounds, Derrick Borlie picked up a takedown at the end of the second period as the horn went off to propel him to a 6-1 victory over Conner Hartmann, who placed at last week’s Southern Scuffle.

The final bout saw Tech heavyweight David Marone use two takedowns in the second period and one more in the third for an 8-1 win over Brendan Walsh to complete the shutout. It’s the second shut out of the season for the Hokies, but the first over a Division I opponent since blanking NC State 40-0 at home in 2011.

Tech has now won 21 of its last 22 ACC dual matches dating back to 2008 and has now won its last eight against the Blue Devils. The Hokies lead the all-time series with Duke, which began in 1926, 23-12-1.

Tech will return to the mats next weekend in the Virginia Duals at the Hampton Coliseum. The draw for all the teams will be released early in the week, but action begins Friday morning regardless.

#11 Virginia Tech (5-2, 2-0 ACC) 41; Duke (1-4, 0-1 ACC) 0
125: #4 Jarrod Garnett (VT) fall Peter Terrezza, 5:48
133: Erik Spjut (VT) dec. Brandon Gambucci, 5-3
141: #13 Zach Neibert (VT) dec. Tanner Hough, 6-5
149: #6 Nick Brascetta (VT) wins by forfeit
157: #6 Jesse Dong (VT) tech fall Immanuel Kerr-Brown, 15-0 (5:11)
165: #5 Pete Yates (VT) fall Randy Roden, 1:20
174: Austin Gabel (VT) dec. Trey Adamson, 4-1
184: Nick Vetterlein (VT) dec. Diego Bencomo, 8-6
197: Derrick Borlie (VT) dec. Conner Hartmann, 6-1
285: David Marone (VT) dec. Brendan Walsh, 8-1

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

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