Plagued by injuries and facing off against the ACC's top team, the Duke wrestling team was the clear underdog in last night's home finale against N.C. State.
So while the 31-9 loss to the Wolfpack (12-4, 5-0 in the ACC) was certainly a disappointment, it came as no great surprise to coach Clar Anderson and the Blue Devils.
"[N.C. State] handled Virginia, which handled us," said Anderson. "But [going into the meet], we thought we had some good matchups."
Despite Anderson's hopes, the Blue Devils (3-12-1, 0-4) won only two bouts, one of which was by forfeit.
After 197-pound sophomore Daegan Smith lost to Jason Gore in a disappointing 20-5 technical fall, senior heavyweight Alex Hunt defeated Ngozi Collins 3-2 in his last dual match ever. This defensive battle was not decided until Hunt took down Collins with 26 seconds remaining in the final period to score two points and break a 1-1 tie.
"Alex Hunt-we're very pleased with his win," Anderson said. "This was his last match, and he did real well."
Following Hunt's victory, sophomore Tommy Hoang won by forfeit at 125-lb. to put Duke up 9-5, but the Wolfpack came back to win the last seven bouts, taking the match going away.
At the 165-lb. class, freshman Mike Mitchell fought through his match against the Wolfpack's Joel Dramis, who had pinned him earlier in the season, before dropping the bout 9-2.
"Mike Mitchell... did good," Anderson said. "He's been improving all season."
Anderson was also pleased with 174-lb. sophomore Matt Hoover's 10-2 loss to Kevin Boross, who had defeated the top wrestler in his weight class in the country last year.
"Matt Hoover did a pretty good job," Anderson said. "Bumping up a weight class, keeping it that close-it was a moral victory, if it wasn't an actual victory."
The coach commended 141-lb. sophomore Harry Clarke, who lost only 6-4 despite a rib injury that forced him to call for a time out during the match.
While such moral victories may seem inconsequential, they may be all that could be hoped for against the Wolfpack, the only team undefeated in the ACC.
"State's a really good team; State beat [North Carolina]," Hunt said. "So the fact that we were close in a lot of matches speaks well of our team."
The Blue Devils' next stop will be the ACC tournament, scheduled for March 4 in College Park, Md.
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