Friday, January 29
Charlottesville, Va.
5 PM
Pitt
16
at
17
Virginia
Three Panthers Earn Ranked Wins in Dual Defeat at Virginia
1/29/2021 9:00:00 PM | Wrestling
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.—Three Panthers earned impressive individual victories over ranked opponents on Friday night at Virginia's Memorial Gymnasium, but the No. 12 Pitt wrestling team fell to a 17-16 defeat.
Both teams won five bouts in the dual, but the Cavaliers (2-2, 1-2 ACC) scored the team victory over the Panthers (3-2, 1-2 ACC) thanks to two major decisions, including a go-ahead bonus-point win at heavyweight.
For Pitt, the performances of Nino Bonaccorsi, Jake Wentzel and Micky Phillippi highlighted the night.
Bonaccorsi secured a marquee individual triumph at 197 pounds by defeating Virginia's undefeated and No. 3-ranked Jay Aiello by 7-5 decision in comeback fashion thanks to a relentless attacking display. Bonaccorsi, ranked No. 8 by InterMat this week after suffering his first loss of the season last Friday, trailed Aiello twice but stuck to his offense and secured a go-ahead takedown in the final seconds.
Wentzel provided the Panthers bonus points in defeating his ranked foe at 165 pounds, No. 13 Jake Keating. The Pitt senior, ranked No. 11 by InterMat in his weight class, took an early 4-1 lead and never looked back, earning an 11-3 major decision thanks to a late takedown and riding time.
Phillippi beat No. 12 Louie Hayes from the Cavaliers by 4-3 decision. Ranked No. 4 by InterMat at 133 pounds, Phillippi now owns an 18-match individual winning streak, one of the nation's longest.
Also earning wins for the Panthers were Colton Camacho at 125 pounds and Luke Kemerer at 149. Both underclassmen showed admirable resiliency to win in sudden victory after trailing early on.
Pitt head coach Keith Gavin was pleased with several individual performances from the Panthers.
"That was a big win for Nino," Gavin said of Bonaccorsi. "He's capable of beating the top guys and competing for a national title. He just needs to do it consistently. We're really excited about that win."
"Jake got a really nice victory at 165. That was a great response to major a guy who had beaten the NC State wrestler he lost to last week. Colton showed some guts in winning his match at the end. We're pleased with the progress he's showing. And Kemerer's confidence continues to grow. He's a really good wrestler when he trusts himself, which he did at the end tonight."
"But in the ACC, you can't have letdowns in any weights," Gavin added of the dual defeat. "You need effort at all 10 weight classes to win duals in this conference. We didn't get that tonight, unfortunately."
Pitt fell to 7-2 in the all-time series with Virginia, with both defeats coming in Charlottesville.
The Panthers return home for their final dual at the Fitzgerald Field House this season next Friday when they host No. 14 North Carolina at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra and the WatchESPN app.
Full results from Friday evening's action are available below.
Virginia 17, No. 12 Pitt 16
125 | Colton Camacho (Pitt) dec. Patrick McCormick (UVA), 4-2 (SV1) (Pitt leads, 3-0)
133 | Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. Louie Hayes (UVA), 4-3 (Pitt leads, 6-0)
141 | Brian Courtney (UVA) dec. Cole Matthews (Pitt), 3-1 (Pitt leads, 6-3)
149 | Luke Kemerer (Pitt) dec. Denton Spencer (UVA), 4-2 (SV1) (Pitt leads, 9-3)
157 | Justin McCoy (UVA) maj. dec. Tyler Badgett (Pitt), 16-5 (Pitt leads, 9-7)
165 | Jake Wentzel (Pitt) maj. dec. Jake Keating (UVA), 11-3 (Pitt leads, 13-7)
174 | Vic Marcelli (UVA) dec. Jared McGill (Pitt), 6-2 (Pitt leads, 13-10)
184 | Michael Battista (UVA) dec. Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 3-2 (Tied, 13-13)
197 | Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. Jay Aiello (UVA), 7-5 (Pitt leads, 16-13)
HWT | Quinn Miller (UVA) maj. dec. Jake Slinger (Pitt), 10-0 (UVA wins, 17-16)
Additional Matches
141 | Dylan Cedeno (UVA) dec. Jake Cherry (Pitt), 3-0
141 | Scott Kiyono (UVA) dec. Ryan Michaels (Pitt), 5-3 (SV1)
157 | Antonio Petrucelli (Pitt) dec. Justin Phillips (UVA), 6-4
157 | Tyler Badgett (Pitt) dec. Nick Sansone (UVA), 3-1
165 | Hunter Kernan (Pitt) pins David Veltri (UVA), 2:53
174 | Robby Patrick (UVA) dec. Tommy O'Brien (Pitt), 9-5
174 | Dane Csencsits (Pitt) dec. Channing Connors (UVA), 8-5
184 | Hudson Stewart (UVA) dec. James Lledo (Pitt), 11-10
184 | Krystian Kinsey (UVA) dec. Nicholas Meglino (Pitt), 8-1
197 | Austin Cooley (Pitt) maj. dec. Ethan Weatherspoon (UVA), 11-1
HWT | Jessie Knight (UVA) pins Cole Rickert (Pitt), 5:51
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Both teams won five bouts in the dual, but the Cavaliers (2-2, 1-2 ACC) scored the team victory over the Panthers (3-2, 1-2 ACC) thanks to two major decisions, including a go-ahead bonus-point win at heavyweight.
For Pitt, the performances of Nino Bonaccorsi, Jake Wentzel and Micky Phillippi highlighted the night.
Bonaccorsi secured a marquee individual triumph at 197 pounds by defeating Virginia's undefeated and No. 3-ranked Jay Aiello by 7-5 decision in comeback fashion thanks to a relentless attacking display. Bonaccorsi, ranked No. 8 by InterMat this week after suffering his first loss of the season last Friday, trailed Aiello twice but stuck to his offense and secured a go-ahead takedown in the final seconds.
Wentzel provided the Panthers bonus points in defeating his ranked foe at 165 pounds, No. 13 Jake Keating. The Pitt senior, ranked No. 11 by InterMat in his weight class, took an early 4-1 lead and never looked back, earning an 11-3 major decision thanks to a late takedown and riding time.
Phillippi beat No. 12 Louie Hayes from the Cavaliers by 4-3 decision. Ranked No. 4 by InterMat at 133 pounds, Phillippi now owns an 18-match individual winning streak, one of the nation's longest.
Also earning wins for the Panthers were Colton Camacho at 125 pounds and Luke Kemerer at 149. Both underclassmen showed admirable resiliency to win in sudden victory after trailing early on.
Pitt head coach Keith Gavin was pleased with several individual performances from the Panthers.
"That was a big win for Nino," Gavin said of Bonaccorsi. "He's capable of beating the top guys and competing for a national title. He just needs to do it consistently. We're really excited about that win."
"Jake got a really nice victory at 165. That was a great response to major a guy who had beaten the NC State wrestler he lost to last week. Colton showed some guts in winning his match at the end. We're pleased with the progress he's showing. And Kemerer's confidence continues to grow. He's a really good wrestler when he trusts himself, which he did at the end tonight."
"But in the ACC, you can't have letdowns in any weights," Gavin added of the dual defeat. "You need effort at all 10 weight classes to win duals in this conference. We didn't get that tonight, unfortunately."
Pitt fell to 7-2 in the all-time series with Virginia, with both defeats coming in Charlottesville.
The Panthers return home for their final dual at the Fitzgerald Field House this season next Friday when they host No. 14 North Carolina at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra and the WatchESPN app.
Full results from Friday evening's action are available below.
Virginia 17, No. 12 Pitt 16
125 | Colton Camacho (Pitt) dec. Patrick McCormick (UVA), 4-2 (SV1) (Pitt leads, 3-0)
133 | Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. Louie Hayes (UVA), 4-3 (Pitt leads, 6-0)
141 | Brian Courtney (UVA) dec. Cole Matthews (Pitt), 3-1 (Pitt leads, 6-3)
149 | Luke Kemerer (Pitt) dec. Denton Spencer (UVA), 4-2 (SV1) (Pitt leads, 9-3)
157 | Justin McCoy (UVA) maj. dec. Tyler Badgett (Pitt), 16-5 (Pitt leads, 9-7)
165 | Jake Wentzel (Pitt) maj. dec. Jake Keating (UVA), 11-3 (Pitt leads, 13-7)
174 | Vic Marcelli (UVA) dec. Jared McGill (Pitt), 6-2 (Pitt leads, 13-10)
184 | Michael Battista (UVA) dec. Gregg Harvey (Pitt), 3-2 (Tied, 13-13)
197 | Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. Jay Aiello (UVA), 7-5 (Pitt leads, 16-13)
HWT | Quinn Miller (UVA) maj. dec. Jake Slinger (Pitt), 10-0 (UVA wins, 17-16)
Additional Matches
141 | Dylan Cedeno (UVA) dec. Jake Cherry (Pitt), 3-0
141 | Scott Kiyono (UVA) dec. Ryan Michaels (Pitt), 5-3 (SV1)
157 | Antonio Petrucelli (Pitt) dec. Justin Phillips (UVA), 6-4
157 | Tyler Badgett (Pitt) dec. Nick Sansone (UVA), 3-1
165 | Hunter Kernan (Pitt) pins David Veltri (UVA), 2:53
174 | Robby Patrick (UVA) dec. Tommy O'Brien (Pitt), 9-5
174 | Dane Csencsits (Pitt) dec. Channing Connors (UVA), 8-5
184 | Hudson Stewart (UVA) dec. James Lledo (Pitt), 11-10
184 | Krystian Kinsey (UVA) dec. Nicholas Meglino (Pitt), 8-1
197 | Austin Cooley (Pitt) maj. dec. Ethan Weatherspoon (UVA), 11-1
HWT | Jessie Knight (UVA) pins Cole Rickert (Pitt), 5:51
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