Finesilver Streak Continues in Loss to No. 8 Hokies

Saturday, February 13

Durham, N.C.

1:00 PM

Duke University

Virginia Tech

Finesilver Streak Continues in Loss to No. 8 Hokies

2/13/2016 4:58:00 PM | Wrestling

WRES Highlights: Virginia Tech 31, Duke 9 WRES Postgame Interview | Jake Faust | Virginia Tech 31, Duke 9 WRES Postgame Interview | Mitch Finesilver | Virginia Tech 31, Duke 9

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C.—Duke wrestling's Conner Hartmann and Mitch Finesilver extended their win streaks and Jake Faust picked up another ranked victory in a 31-9 loss to No. 8 Virginia Tech to close out the Blue Devils' regular season home schedule today.

Duke moved to 5-8 overall and 1-4 in the ACC, while Virginia Tech improves to 15-2 and 5-0 in the conference. The Hokies, following their upset victory over No. 3 NC State Friday night, captured their second consecutive ACC dual title.

Virginia Tech jumped out to a 14-0 lead, getting a couple major decisions at 125 and 141 from the nation's No. 3 and No. 8 wrestlers at the respective weights, and a forfeit at 133.

Riding a 12-match win streak heading into the dual, 10th-ranked Finesilver scored a takedown in the final seconds of the first period for the 2-0 lead over Sal Mastriani. He extended the lead to 3-0 with an escape to start the second period and remained in control en route to the 6-2 decision. The victory was his 13th straight and 23rd of year. He remains unbeaten in ACC action and duals this season.

At 157 pounds, junior Connor Bass turned in a hard-fought battle against fourth-ranked Nick Brascetta. Brascetta scored early, but led just 4-2 after the first period. The veteran Hokie extended the lead to 11-4 before Bass was able to find success with his offense. He scored three straight to pull within four, but it was too much to overcome in the 12-7 decision.

Faust, facing his fifth top 20 opponent of the season, was outstanding yet again as he upset No. 12 David McFadden 14-10. The redshirt junior attacked right off the opening whistle and scored a takedown for the 2-0 lead. Back in the neutral position after a McFadden escape, Faust used one of his patented moves to take down McFadden again and scored four back points for the 8-1 lead.

McFadden went to his offense in the third period, but Faust didn't relinquish and improved to 5-0 against top 20 foes and to 15-6 on the year. He has won two straight matches over top 15 foes in ACC action.

In the most anticipated match of the afternoon at 197 pounds, No. 5 Hartmann outlasted No. 7 Jared Haught 2-0 thanks to an excellent second period of riding from Hartmann. Scoreless after the opening three minutes, Haught chose the bottom position and was never able to get out from underneath the Duke senior.

Hartmann escaped quickly in the third and proceeded to lock up riding time as an exhausted Haught fell short in tying the match with a takedown. The win was Hartmann's 90th of his career, tying him for seventh in Duke history and three shy of moving into a tie for fifth.

Duke finishes its dual season next weekend with a swing through Big Ten country with matches against Northwestern and Purdue, Feb. 19 and 21, respectively.

Virginia Tech 31, Duke 9
125: No. 3 Joey Dance (VT) major dec. Thayer Atkins (Duke), 15-5 - VT 4, Duke 0
133: Dennis Gustafson (VT) wins by forfeit – VT 10, Duke 0
141: No. 8 Solomon Gustafson (VT) major dec. Zach Finesilver (Duke), 16-6 – VT 14, Duke 0
149: No. 10 Mitch Finesilver (Duke) dec. Sal Mastriani (VT), 6-2 – VT 14, Duke 3
157: No. 4 Nick Brascetta (VT) dec. Connor Bass (Duke), 12-7 – VT 17, Duke 3
165: Jake Faust (Duke) dec. No. 12 David McFadden (VT), 14-10 – VT 17, Duke 6
174: No. 3 Zach Epperly (VT) pins Brian Dorsey (Duke), 6:01 – VT 23, Duke 6
184: No. 7 Zack Zavatsky (VT) major dec. Trey Adamson (Duke), 17-3 – VT 27, Duke 6
197: No. 5 Conner Hartmann (Duke) dec. No. 7 Jared Haught (VT), 2-0 – VT 27, Duke 9
285: No. 3 Ty Walz (VT) major dec. Brendan Walsh (Duke), 18-5 – VT 31, Duke 9