The wrestling team tried a new format Saturday in Virginia, first facing James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., and then making the 60-mile drive to Charlottesville, Va., to take on the University of Virginia Cavaliers. But after the results, it is unlikely the Blue Devils will be doing that again.
Duke dropped a pair of dual meets over the weekend to fall to 9-9 overall, 1-2 in the ACC. Virginia upped its record to 3-0 in the conference after defeating both N.C. State and the Blue Devils. Duke lost eight of 10 bouts to a Cavalier team that has surprised quite a few people in the ACC season, and might be a contender in three weeks at the conference championships.
"Virginia probably had an advantage because they wrestled and stayed home," coach Clar Anderson said from Charlottesvile where the team remained Sunday due to inclement weather. "But I hate to make excuses. They were physical and won the close matches."
Anderson also noted that Virginia arguably had the
The match had significance in seeding for the conference tournament as it will come down to Tuesday's match against NC State to determine the first seed in the weight class.
Should Hoang defeat the Wolfpack's George Cintron, it will create create an intriguing scenario for first- and second-seed as both Hoang and Sticca will only have had one loss in conference with a returning all-American, North Carolina's Chris Rodrigues, possibly seeded fourth. Two, and possibly three, wrestlers from the weight class will go on to the NCAA Championships in Kansas City.
Following Hoang's match, the Blue Devils dropped four more to fall into an early 17-0 hole. One-hundred-sixty-five-pound Michael Mitchell gave Duke its first points with a close 3-2 win over the Cavs' Will Durkee, who defeated returning ACC champion Dustin Kawa of NC State earlier this year. The win was Mitchell's 29th on the season, a team high.
Tom Cass was Duke's only other winner against UVa with a 3-2 decision over Scott Mania.
Against JMU, Mitchell gave Duke an early 4-3 advantage in the meet's second bout, but the Dukes answered with four consecutive wins to take a 19-3 lead and virtually clinch the match. Hoang finally slowed down the Dukes' momentum with a first-period pin.
Hoang's effort was not enough, however, as JMU won two of the final three weight classes for a 25-14 victory. The win raised the Dukes' record to 6-11 overall.
Senior Ben Balmages (157 pounds) and freshman Brandon Foose (149) each lost very close matches that could have gone either way for a 12-point swing that would have given the victory to the Blue Devils.
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