January 30, 2015
Big battle looms as part of Commonwealth Clash
No. 9 Hokies and No. 12 Hoos to meet in sold-out Moss Arts Center Sunday

BLACKSBURG - The ninth-ranked Virginia Tech wrestling team will square off against 12th-ranked Virginia Sunday in a battle of two in-state rivals at the Moss Arts Center on campus. Match-time is set for 2 p.m. and the event is sold out.

Virginia Tech holds a 41-32-1 leads in a series that dates back to 1922 after downing the Cavaliers in the finals of the 2015 Virginia Duals just a few weeks ago, 16-15. The Cavs won last year’s ACC dual meet, 19-16 in Charlottesville, to snap the Hokies’ eight-match winning streak in the series, tied for the longest by either team in the long-standing rivalry. The Hokies have won nine of the last 10 against the Cavs and this will be the just the second time in 75 meetings that both teams are ranked in the top 15.

For the Hokies (9-2, 0-0 ACC), Sunday’s match will be the first of five ACC dual matches. With a recognized ACC dual meet team title being handed out again this season, every dual meet carries more significance. Virginia Tech has won 28 of its last 31 ACC dual matches dating back to Feb. 16. 2008. Pittsburgh, in its first year in the league, won the inaugural ACC dual meet title last season, although the Hokies have won the past two tournament titles.

Virginia is 10-3 overall and leads the ACC at 2-0 after knocking off No. 10 Pitt last weekend, 17-16, at home. Led by No. 2 Nick Sulzer at 165 pounds, five Cavaliers are ranked in the latest InterMat rankings and nine UVa wrestlers are ranked in the first edition of the NCAA Coaches Panel rankings.

Sunday’s match will be the first of three this season in the Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Moss Arts Center’s Street and Davis Performance Hall. The Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech and the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) are headquartered in the Moss Arts Center. The 150,000-square-foot facility includes a performance hall, visual arts galleries, amphitheater, four-story experimental Cube, and multiple studios. Groundbreaking for the center was held on June 21, 2010 and the center officially opened on Oct. 28, 2013.

This match is presented by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of Virginia Tech Athletics. It is also a potential half point in the Virginia529 Commonwealth Clash, the new point rivalry series between University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. Currently the score for the Clash is University of Virginia 5.5 and Virginia Tech 1.5. Learn more about Virginia529 and this new competition at www.thecommonwealthclash.com.

Flowrestling will have a live stream with Christian Pyles on the call. Live stats will be available through TrackWrestling.com and @VT_Wrestling will have the live updates.

For FAQs on the Moss Arts Center, including parking and directions, click here.

Below are the probable lineups, submitted by the respective coaching staff:

#9 Virginia Tech (9-2, 0-0 ACC)
125: #4 Joey Dance (20-2)
133: #19 Kevin Norstrem (15-9)
141: #3 Devin Carter (21-3)
149: #12 Sal Mastriani (18-7)
157: #5 Nick Brascetta (2-1)
165: Chad Strube (6-9)
174: #12 Zach Epperly (15-3)
184: Austin Gabel (11-8)
197: Jared Haught (13-11)
285: #9 Ty Walz (20-4)

#12 Virginia (10-3, 2-0 ACC)
125: Nick Herrmann (11-5) OR Will Mason (9-7)
133: #13 George DiCamillo (21-6)
141: Justin Van Hoose (1-8)
149: Gus Sako (3-4) OR Chris Yankowich (8-11)
157: Andrew Atkinson (14-9)
165: #2 Nick Sulzer (21-1)
174: #7 Blaise Butler (14-2)
184: Tyler Askey (13-13) or James Suvak (9-5)
197: #18 Zach Nye (13-5)
285: Patrick Gillen (13-6) or Ethan Hayes (1-2)

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