University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Saturday, February 2
Pittsburgh, Pa.
2:00 pm
Pitt
16
vs
19
North Carolina
No. 13 Pitt Falls Short to No. 17 North Carolina
2/2/2019 5:42:00 PM | Wrestling
Panthers Suffer Third Consecutive Loss
PITTSBURGH, PA – The 13th-ranked University of Pittsburgh wrestling team suffered its third consecutive loss of the season Saturday afternoon after dropping a 19-16 decision to No. 17 North Carolina at the Fitzgerald Field House.
With the loss, Pitt slides to 8-3 on the year and 0-2 against ACC foes. The Tar Heels improve to 10-5 overall and moves to 2-0 in conference action.
The matches were split evenly, with each team claiming five bouts each; however, North Carolina secured the dual with a win at heavyweight.
Recording wins for the Panthers were redshirt freshman Micky Phillippi at 133 pounds, senior LJ Bentley at 141 pounds, redshirt junior Taleb Rahmani at 157 pounds, redshirt freshman Nino Bonaccorsi at 184 pounds and redshirt junior Kellan Stout at 197 pounds.
The Tar Heels got on the board first after freshman Brendon Fenton dropped a major decision to Joe Heilmann at 125 pounds.
Pitt then took the lead in the team race, 7-4, after back-to-back wins at 133 and 141 pounds.
Phillippi, the fifth-ranked wrestler at 133, returned to the win column after winning in an 8-4 decision over Gary Wayne Harding. Phillippi trailed 4-3 entering the third period, but picked up four nearfall points with 1:41 remaining and sealed the deal with the riding time point.
Bentley then picked up a major decision over Jaime Hernandez at 141 pounds, 10-2. The senior used four takedowns and riding time to return to the win column.
The Tar Heels jumped out to a 10-7 lead after senior Robert Lee got pinned by No. 4 Austin O'Connor in 3:24 at 149 pounds.
However, Rahmani tied the team score after recording a win 157 pounds as he defeated Josh McClure in a 5-3 decision.
North Carolina captured wins at 165 and 174 pounds to regain the lead, 16-10.
At 184 pounds, No. 12 Bonaccorsi recorded an impressive 7-5 decision over No. 14 and returning All-American Chip Ness. With the score tied 4-4 after two frames, Bonaccorsi started the third on bottom. He quickly escaped and scored a takedown with 45 seconds remaining to secure the win.
Stout would be the final Pitt win of the day at 197 pounds as he shutout Brandon Whitman in a 3-0 decision. The victory was crucial, as he tied the team score 16-16 entering the final bout.
At heavyweight, junior Demetrius Thomas met with Cory Daniel in the deciding match. After a scoreless first period, Thomas started the second on bottom. He quickly escaped and scored a takedown to lead 3-0 entering the third. Daniel escaped to open the period and was later taken down again by Thomas. Leading 5-1, Thomas was then hit with locked hands, Daniel escaped and took him down to tie it 5-5 at the end of regulation. Daniel scored the takedown in sudden victory to lift the Tar Heels to victory.
Pitt resumes action next weekend with a trip to North Carolina. The Panthers will face Gardner-Webb Saturday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. before making the short trip to Davidson for a 7 p.m. dual. Pitt will conclude the weekend in Raleigh at NC State for a 1 p.m. match-up.
125: Joe Heilmann (UNC) maj. dec. Brendon Fenton (UP), 12-3 -- UNC leads 4-0
133: #5 Micky Phillippi (UP) dec. Gary Wayne Harding (UNC), 8-4 -- UNC leads 4-3
141: LJ Bentley (UP) maj. dec. Jaime Hernandez (UNC), 10-2 -- Pitt leads 7-4
149: #4 Austin O'Conner (UNC) pins Robert Lee (UP), 3:24 -- UNC leads 10-7
157: #12 Taleb Rahmani (UP) dec. Josh McClure (UNC), 5-3 -- Tied 10-10
165: Sawyer Davidson (UNC) dec. Curtis Dekker (UP), 9-5 -- UNC leads 13-10
174: Devin Kane (UNC) dec. Gregg Harvey (UP), 7-4 -- UNC leads 16-10
184: #12 Nino Bonaccorsi (UP) dec. #14 Chip Ness (UNC), 7-5 – UNC leads 16-13
197: Kellan Stout (UP) dec. Brandon Whitman (UNC), 3-0 – Tied 16-16
285: Cory Daniel (UNC) def. #13 Demetrius Thomas (UP), SV-1, 7-5 -- UNC wins 19-16
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With the loss, Pitt slides to 8-3 on the year and 0-2 against ACC foes. The Tar Heels improve to 10-5 overall and moves to 2-0 in conference action.
The matches were split evenly, with each team claiming five bouts each; however, North Carolina secured the dual with a win at heavyweight.
Recording wins for the Panthers were redshirt freshman Micky Phillippi at 133 pounds, senior LJ Bentley at 141 pounds, redshirt junior Taleb Rahmani at 157 pounds, redshirt freshman Nino Bonaccorsi at 184 pounds and redshirt junior Kellan Stout at 197 pounds.
The Tar Heels got on the board first after freshman Brendon Fenton dropped a major decision to Joe Heilmann at 125 pounds.
Pitt then took the lead in the team race, 7-4, after back-to-back wins at 133 and 141 pounds.
Phillippi, the fifth-ranked wrestler at 133, returned to the win column after winning in an 8-4 decision over Gary Wayne Harding. Phillippi trailed 4-3 entering the third period, but picked up four nearfall points with 1:41 remaining and sealed the deal with the riding time point.
Bentley then picked up a major decision over Jaime Hernandez at 141 pounds, 10-2. The senior used four takedowns and riding time to return to the win column.
The Tar Heels jumped out to a 10-7 lead after senior Robert Lee got pinned by No. 4 Austin O'Connor in 3:24 at 149 pounds.
However, Rahmani tied the team score after recording a win 157 pounds as he defeated Josh McClure in a 5-3 decision.
North Carolina captured wins at 165 and 174 pounds to regain the lead, 16-10.
At 184 pounds, No. 12 Bonaccorsi recorded an impressive 7-5 decision over No. 14 and returning All-American Chip Ness. With the score tied 4-4 after two frames, Bonaccorsi started the third on bottom. He quickly escaped and scored a takedown with 45 seconds remaining to secure the win.
Stout would be the final Pitt win of the day at 197 pounds as he shutout Brandon Whitman in a 3-0 decision. The victory was crucial, as he tied the team score 16-16 entering the final bout.
At heavyweight, junior Demetrius Thomas met with Cory Daniel in the deciding match. After a scoreless first period, Thomas started the second on bottom. He quickly escaped and scored a takedown to lead 3-0 entering the third. Daniel escaped to open the period and was later taken down again by Thomas. Leading 5-1, Thomas was then hit with locked hands, Daniel escaped and took him down to tie it 5-5 at the end of regulation. Daniel scored the takedown in sudden victory to lift the Tar Heels to victory.
Pitt resumes action next weekend with a trip to North Carolina. The Panthers will face Gardner-Webb Saturday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. before making the short trip to Davidson for a 7 p.m. dual. Pitt will conclude the weekend in Raleigh at NC State for a 1 p.m. match-up.
125: Joe Heilmann (UNC) maj. dec. Brendon Fenton (UP), 12-3 -- UNC leads 4-0
133: #5 Micky Phillippi (UP) dec. Gary Wayne Harding (UNC), 8-4 -- UNC leads 4-3
141: LJ Bentley (UP) maj. dec. Jaime Hernandez (UNC), 10-2 -- Pitt leads 7-4
149: #4 Austin O'Conner (UNC) pins Robert Lee (UP), 3:24 -- UNC leads 10-7
157: #12 Taleb Rahmani (UP) dec. Josh McClure (UNC), 5-3 -- Tied 10-10
165: Sawyer Davidson (UNC) dec. Curtis Dekker (UP), 9-5 -- UNC leads 13-10
174: Devin Kane (UNC) dec. Gregg Harvey (UP), 7-4 -- UNC leads 16-10
184: #12 Nino Bonaccorsi (UP) dec. #14 Chip Ness (UNC), 7-5 – UNC leads 16-13
197: Kellan Stout (UP) dec. Brandon Whitman (UNC), 3-0 – Tied 16-16
285: Cory Daniel (UNC) def. #13 Demetrius Thomas (UP), SV-1, 7-5 -- UNC wins 19-16
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