Pitt
Virginia Tech
Pitt Falls to No. 10 Virginia Tech on the Road
2/14/2025 10:34:00 PM | Wrestling
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Pitt wrestling team (9-6, 2-3 ACC) fell to Virginia Tech, 28-9, Friday night at the Cassell Coliseum. The Panthers took an early 6-0 lead after winning the opening two bouts but could not overcome a strong Virginia Tech lineup as the Hokies went on to win seven of the remaining eight matches.
Starting at the 157-pound match, No. 22 Dylan Evans gave the Panthers an early advantage with a 4-1 sudden victory over No. 10 Rafael Hipolito. Evans and Hipolito were tied 1-1 after a competitive three periods. Heading into sudden victory, Evans got a takedown with just under a minute remaining in overtime to secure the first win of the night.
Redshirt sophomore Jared Keslar continued the momentum into the 165-pound match, picking up a win over No. 30 Mac Church, 5-1. In another competitive match, Keslar and Church were tied up at 1-1 heading into the third period. Keslar took a 2-1 advantage on a stalling call with 40 seconds remaining before getting a late takedown to secure the win and give the Panthers a 6-0 lead.
Virginia Tech tied the match at 6-6 by winning the 174-pound match by a fall and took the lead after the 184-pound match with a win by a major decision.
No. 10 Mac Stout got the Panthers back in the match, defeating No. 12 Andy Smith by a 7-3 decision to cut the Pitt deficit to 10-9. Stout and Smith were tied 1-1 before Stout got two takedowns in the third period to secure the win.
The Hokies secured the match by picking up bonus point wins over the next three matches and came out on top in hard-fought matches at 141 and 149. No. 10 Sam Latona fought off a late effort from Anthony Santaniello to hold on for the win at 141 while No. 23 Finn Solomon battled No. 1 Caleb Henson in overtime.
UP NEXT
The Panthers close out the regular season with another Friday Night Dual at Virginia, Feb. 21 (7 p.m. – ACCNX).
Virginia Tech 28, Pitt 9
157: No. 22 Dylan Evans (PITT) dec. No. 10 Rafael Hipolito (VT), 4-1 SV (Pitt leads 3-0)
165: Jared Keslar (PITT) dec. No. 30 Mac Church (VT), 5-1 (Pitt leads 6-0)
174: No. 24 Lennox Wolak (VT) fall No. 18 Luca Augustine (PITT), (4:33) (Tied 6-6)
184: No. 22 TJ Stewart (VT) maj. dec. Chase Kranitz (PITT), 16-4 (VT leads 10-6)
197: No. 10 Mac Stout (PITT) dec. No. 12 Andy Smith (VT), 7-3 (VT leads 10-9)
285: No. 13 Jimmy Mullen (VT) maj. dec. No. 15 Dayton Pitzer (PITT), 13-4 (VT leads 14-9)
125: No. 5 Eddie Ventresca (VT) maj. dec. No. 23 Nick Babin (PITT), 15-1 (VT leads 18-9)
133: No. 15 Connor McGonagle (VT) maj. dec. Tyler Chappell (PITT), 13-0 (VT leads 22-9)
141: No. 10 Sam Latona (VT) dec. Anthony Santaniello (PITT), 10-7 (VT leads 25-9)
149: No. 1 Caleb Henson (VT) dec. No. 23 Finn Solomon (PITT), 4-1 SV (VT wins 28-9)
Players Mentioned
