The wrestling team dropped its fifth straight match, and third in the Atlantic Coast Conference, on Saturday, losing to the Maryland Terrapins in College Park, 26-13. The Terrapins (5-5, 1-3 ACC) led right from the start, and the Blue Devils (5-5, 0-3 ACC) never got closer than three points.
From the outset, Maryland took control of the match. In the 118-pound class, Terrapin freshman Joe Guzzio pinned Duke's Steve Sentner to take a 6-0 lead. Senior Chris Heckel came back for the Blue Devils to post a decision at 126-lb to pull Duke to within 6-3, but that would be the closest it would get.
"Coming in, we thought that we could win." junior Matt Mapes said. "At (118-lbs.) our freshman got caught off guard in a headlock, and we just lost all our momentum."
After that pin and Heckel's decision, Maryland proceeded to run off 13-straight match points, with three minor decisions, including one in overtime, and one major decision, before Duke could muster another victory.
Matt Mapes ran his record to 13-1 with a major decision at 167-lb. which pulled Duke to within 19-7. By that time, however, it was too little, too late.
After Mapes' impressive win, Maryland's senior tri-captain Craig Garrison clinched the match for the Terrapins with a pin of Dion Santo in the 177-lb. weight class, 1:19 into the bout.
Two other bright spots came for Duke in the last two weight classes, as Jesse Raia won his match 6-1, and heavyweight Alex Hunt defeated Maryland's Paul Fitzmaurice in overtime 6-5 to make the final score respectable for the Blue Devils.
"I felt we wrestled pretty well," Mapes said. "As a team, we probably could have come out with a win."
The Blue Devils have two more matches, including their last match in the ACC at home against North Carolina State, before they host the ACC championships on March 7. The Blue Devils have been improving in the conference, as their margins of defeat have diminished with each match.
"We could be the darkhorse of the ACC tournament," Mapes said. "I think that we could turn some heads and take some upsets. I personally hope to make it to the finals, and win an ACC championship."
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