On a roster dotted with freshmen, Jason Gorski is quickly making himself stand out from the rest.
After earning one of only two wins in Duke's 37-3 loss to Virginia on Friday, Gorski pinned The Citadel's Anthony Brooker in the final period in the decisive match of Duke's 29-15 win against the Bulldogs yesterday at McAlister Fieldhouse.
The Blue Devils (5-5) held a tenuous 20-15 lead entering the next-to-last match pitting Gorski against The Citadel's Brooker at 141 pounds. The freshman from Blairstown, N.J., pinned Brooker with a minute left in the match to give Duke a commanding 26-15 lead.
Friday afternoon, the Blue Devils ran into a buzzsaw at Charlottesville. The Cavaliers parlayed three pins, two technical falls and a major decision into a 37-7 rout of Duke.
Gorski notched a major decision and fellow freshman Tom Cass decisioned John Qualters in overtime to earn Duke's only points of the day.
Sunday in Charleston, the Blue Devils jumped out of the gates courtesy of their top two returning wrestlers from last season. Deuce Harris (157 lbs.) earned a 13-5 major decision and Matt Mapes (165 lbs.) rebounded from a 7-1 loss Friday with a pin of his opponent less than a minute into the match to give his team a 10-0 lead.
The Bulldogs, however, rebounded by taking four of the next five matches, including a pin at 125 lbs., to come within one, at 15-14, of Duke. Sophomore Sean Meakim then reclaimed the momentum for the Blue Devils with a dominating 14-0 major decision over Chris Ellis at 133 lbs. before Gorski's pin of Brooker sealed the meet.
The Blue Devils, now back up to .500 on the season, return home Tuesday night for a matchup with UNC-Greensboro in Cameron Indoor Stadium at 7 p.m.
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