The dream season for the wrestling team just keeps getting better
With a dramatic come from behind victory over the Virginia Cavaliers (8-5, 2-1 in the ACC), Duke (7-6, 3-0) earned a third conference win for the first time since the 1959-60 season. The Blue Devils also moved one step closer to a perfect ACC season and a conference championship.
"This is incredibly exciting for the young guys because you see all the work that they've been putting in all year," head coach Clar Anderson said. "They're starting to believe that they can compete in the ACC and hopefully it will continue on."
Though the match ended in triumph for the Blue Devils, it began in defeat. The Cavaliers won the first four bouts to pull ahead 14-0, including a key match at the 165-pound weight class that showcased Duke senior captain Michael Mitchell against Virginia's fourteenth-ranked Tim Foley.
"We were hoping to take 165 from them and 157, and we didn't do that," Anderson said. "At that point it was kind of like, 'Hey guys, just go out there and do your best.'"
From that point on, Duke's best was good enough. Beginning at 174, the Blue Devils won three straight matches to take the lead and the momentum from the Cavaliers.
Starting Duke's run in the 174-pound match, Levi Craig got a quick escape in the second period and proceeded to record three takedowns to win his match 7-4, putting the team score at 14-3 in favor of Virginia.
In the next match at 184, Duke's Frank Cornely took down Drew Michelotti and let him up before hitting an elevator--a backwards-roll from the neutral position--to bring Michelotti right to his back. 2:21 into the match, Cornely had registered a pin, bringing the Blue Devils to within five at 14-9.
"Levi getting that 'W' really helped fire myself up and my goal out there was to get the stick," Cornely said. "I was definitely favored over that opponent, but to get the stick was exciting."
Feeding off the momentum from the previous two matches, Tim Marcantonio went onto the mat with a feverish energy. Though his match-up against Kevin Collier was supposed to be a toss-up, the unfazed Marcantonio struck quickly, pinning Collier in just 1:25.
"The momentum was in our favor, and I just went out there and gave everything I had," Marcantonio said. "I knew that if I got the chance to put him away I just had to do it, and I finally got that opportunity and took advantage of it."
Virginia won a minor decision at heavyweight to pull ahead 17-15, but at that point the match went back to the lower weights, one of Duke's strongest points.
At 125, Duke's Christian Smith registered a big win, defeating Brian Sticca 7-4 to put the Blue Devils back on top 18-17. At 133, the final and deciding match of the night, Adam Benitez scored two clutch takedowns in the third period to beat Steve Hromada and clinch a 21-17 victory for the Blue Devils.
It was a milestone victory for a Duke team that is just beginning to realize its potential. But with one ACC match left against N.C. State, Benitez explained that the Blue Devils are not yet satisfied.
"We're on top of the world for tonight," Benitez said. "After today, we'll be training for N.C. State."
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