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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.. - Two wrestlers brought home individual titles as the #3 Virginia Tech wrestling team finished second at the 2016 ACC Championship at JPJ Arena. Joey Dance and Zack Zavatsky led the team with first place finishes. The Hokies had eight student-athletes qualify for bids to the NCAA Championship and finished on the podium in eight weight classes.

Dance won his second league crown in as many seasons, opening the final round with a 5-1 decision over NC State’s Sean Fausz. Dance picked up a 5-3 decision in the semifinal round over Virginia’s Nick Hermann.

Zavatsky, competing in his first ACC Championship, took care of business at 184 pounds, winning an 8-2 deciison in his first bout and fighting for a 5-2 win in the finals.

Six other Tech grapplers advanced to the finals, leading the conference in final bout participants. Solomon Chishko battled to a 3-2 decision in NC State’s favor at 141 pounds and was followed by a second place finish at 157 pounds in his fourth appearance at the ACC Championship. David McFadden, after losing in the semifinal round, battled back to win two consolation matches and finish on the podium in third place. Zach Epperly found himself facing top-seeded Ramos of NC State in the finals and dropped a close 3-2 battle after picking up a late escape point. Jared Haught and Ty Walz ended the day for the Hokies, picking up two more second place finishes.

Dance, Chishko, Brascetta, McFadden, Epperly, Zavatsky, Haught and Walz all automatically qualified for the NCAA National Championships, to be held March 17-19 in Madison Square Garden. At-large bids are still up for grabs for the other members of the starting squad.

Dresser Sounds Off:

“My hat goes off to NC State today, they were the better team. We had some very good things happen today we just got beat by a really good team! The exciting thing about the ACC tournament now is that it prepares you for the NCAA championships. We have never been able to say that in past years! I am very excited about the eight guys are are taking to New York City in 10 days. We have to improve in some days but I believe we will. The goals for this team haven’t changed.”

125: #1 seed Joey Dance (2-0; CHAMPION; AUTO QUALIFIER)
First Round: BYE
Semifinals: def. #4 seed Nick Hermann (UVA), 5-3
Finals: def. #2 seed Sean Fausz (NCSU), 5-1

133: #3 seed Dennis Gustafson (1-2)
First Round: lost to #2 seed Dom Forys, MD 13-5
Consolation Semifinals: def. #5 seed James Szymanski (UNC), 10-4
Third-Place Match: lost to #4 seed Jamal Morris (NCSU), 10-4

141: #2 seed Solomon Chishko (1-1, SECOND PLACE, AUTO QUALIFIER)
First Round: BYE
Semifinals def. #3 seed Joey Ward (UNC), 2-1
Finals: lost to #1 seed Kevin Jack (NCSU), 3-2

149: #3 seed Sal Mastriani (1-2)
First Round: def. Robert Lee (PITT), TF 19-3 7:00
Semifinals lost to #2 seed Mitch Finesilver (Duke), 4-2
Consolation Semifinals: lost to #4 seed Beau Donahue (NCSU), fall

157: #2 seed Nick Brascetta (1-1, SECOND PLACE, AUTOQUALIFIER)
First Round: BYE
Semifinals def. #3 Andrew Atkinson (UVA), 6-4
Finals: lost to #1 seed Tommy Gantt (NCSU), 3-1

165: #5 seed David McFadden (3-1, THIRD PLACE, AUTOQUALIFIER)
First Round: def. #4 seed Cody Wiercioch (PITT), 6-3
Semifinals: lost to #1 seed Max Rohskopf (NCSU), 7-0
Consolation Semifinals: def. #6 seed Garrett Peppelmam (UVA), 8-4
Consolation Finals: def. #4 seed Cody Wiercioch (PITT), 4-2

174: #2 seed Zach Epperly (1-1, SECOND PLACE, AUTOQUALIFIER)
First Round: BYE
Semifinals: def. #3 seed TeShan Campbell (PITT), fall 5:52
Finals: lost to #1 Ethan Ramos (UNC), 3-2

184: #1 seed Zack Zavatsky (2-0, CHAMPION, AUTOQUALIFIER)
First Round: BYE
Semifinals: def. #5 seed Trey Adamson (Duke), 8-2
Finals: def. #2 seed Pete Renda (NCSU), 5-2

197: #2 seed Jared Haught (1-1, SECOND PLACE, AUTOQUALIFIER)
First Round: BYE
Semifinals: def. #3 seed Zach Nye (UVA), 9-3
Finals: lost to #1 seed Conner Hartmann (Duke), 4-2

285: #2 seed Ty Walz (1-1, SECOND PLACE, AUTOQUALIFIER)
First Round: BYE
Semifinals: def.#3 seed Ryan Solomon (PITT), 3-2
Finals: lost to #1 seed Nick Gwiazdowski (NCSU), 5-2

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