In a thrilling night at Cassell Coliseum, No. 6 Virginia Tech clinched the ACC regular-season title with a commanding 26-17 victory over Duke. The Hokies wrapped up their conference dual competition with an unblemished record, showcasing their prowess in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
Virginia Tech (11-3, 6-0 ACC) took control by winning six bouts against the Blue Devils (6-13, 0-6), including two technical falls and a forfeit, solidifying their latest ACC championship triumph.
Let’s dive into the action and see how each bout unfolded:
125 lbs: Spencer von Sovoye of Duke set the tone early with an 11-2 victory over Virginia Tech’s Ryan Messick. With Eddie Ventresca sidelined, Messick stepped in but found himself trailing as Sovoye capitalized with takedowns and a riding-time bonus, giving Duke an early 4-0 lead.
133 lbs: Virginia Tech's Aaron Seidel received a forfeit win, swinging the lead to the Hokies at 6-4.
141 lbs: Tom Crook of Virginia Tech wasted no time, establishing a 5-0 lead with a takedown and near-fall points against Raymond Adams. Despite Adams’ efforts to claw back, Crook secured a 7-4 decision, extending Tech’s advantage to 9-4.
149 lbs: In a nail-biting contest, Duke’s Dylan Ross edged out Chris Bacchioni 4-1 in sudden victory. With no takedowns in regulation, Ross capitalized in overtime, narrowing the Hokies’ lead to 9-7.
157 lbs: Ethen Miller, ranked No. 16, delivered a standout performance for Virginia Tech. He dominated Mike Boulanger with early takedowns and over a minute of riding time, cruising to an 11-2 major decision and pushing the Hokies ahead 13-7.
165 lbs: Mac Church, ranked No. 33, kept the momentum going for Virginia Tech with a 9-3 win over Aurelius Dunbar. Church’s control and strategic takedowns expanded Tech’s lead to 16-7.
174 lbs: Duke’s Aidan Wallace benefitted from a forfeit, pulling the Blue Devils closer at 16-13.
184 lbs: Jaden Bullock swung the pendulum back to Virginia Tech, dominating David Hussey with a 19-4 technical fall. Bullock’s relentless attacks and near-falls secured crucial bonus points, stretching the Hokies’ lead to 21-13.
197 lbs: Sonny Sasso, ranked No. 11, sealed the deal for Virginia Tech with an 18-3 technical fall over Owen McGrory. Sasso’s aggressive style and riding time clinched the ACC regular season title, putting Tech up 26-13.
285 lbs: In the final bout, Duke’s Connor Barket topped Parker Farrell 8-0, but the Hokies had already secured the victory.
With the regular season wrapped up, Virginia Tech looks ahead to the ACC Championships on March 8 at their home turf in Cassell Coliseum. Fans can expect another electrifying day of wrestling, starting at 10 a.m.
ET with championship bouts kicking off at 8 p.m. ET.
Final Score: Virginia Tech 26, Duke 17
- 125 lbs: Spencer von Sovoye (Duke) def. Ryan Messick (VT) 11-2
- 133 lbs: Aaron Seidel (VT) win via forfeit
- 141 lbs: Tom Crook (VT) def.
Raymond Adams (Duke) 7-4
- 149 lbs: Dylan Ross (Duke) def.
Chris Bacchioni (VT) 4-1 (SV)
- 157 lbs: Ethen Miller (VT) def.
Mike Boulanger (Duke) 11-2
- 165 lbs: Mac Church (VT) def.
Aurelius Dunbar (Duke) 9-3
- 174 lbs: Aidan Wallace (Duke) win via forfeit
- 184 lbs: Jaden Bullock (VT) def. David Hussey (Duke) 19-4 (TF, 7:00)
- 197 lbs: Sonny Sasso (VT) def. Owen McGrory (Duke) 18-3 (TF, 7:00)
- 285 lbs: Connor Barket (Duke) def. Parker Farrell (VT) 8-0