Wrestling Clips No. 8 Virginia Tech, 20-17

Friday, January 10

Chapel Hill, N.C.

5 PM

North Carolina

Virginia Tech

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

January 10, 2025 | Wrestling

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In the Atlantic Coast Conference opener, the 25th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels controlled No. 8 Virginia Tech, 20-17, inside Carmichael Arena Friday night.

The win was the first over the Hokies since the 2019-20 campaign, and the first against Virginia Tech in Chapel Hill since the 2018-19 season.

Carolina was victorious in five matches on the night: three decisions, one technical fall and one fall.

Beginning the match at 165, Carolina trailed in the team score, 4-0. The momentum shifted in the Tar Heel favor at 174 and 184 pounds, with Joshua Ogunsanya's decision and Gavin Kane's second-period fall.

Meeting No. 13 Lennox Wolak, Ogunsanya jumped out to an early lead in the opening three minutes courtesy of two takedowns and never looked back, holding on for the 7-4 decision over his former teammate.

At 184 pounds, Kane squared off with the Hokies' 29th-ranked TJ Stewart, battling to a scoreless opening period. Following Stewart's choice to begin the second period on bottom, Kane was able to collect the fall 29 seconds into the second frame.

Following a sudden victory decision at 197 and fall at heavyweight in favor of the visiting Hokies, the lineup flipped to 125 pounds, as No. 20 Spencer Moore squared off with fourth-ranked Eddie Ventresca.

Ventresca forced the match into sudden victory with a third-period escape, tied at one-all, but Moore was able to secure the takedown with 39 seconds remaining in the overtime period.

Dillon Campbell's riding time point at 133 pounds sent the matchup against Tar Heel Ethan Oakley into sudden victory for the second-straight match, with Oakley working for the three-point takedown and decision, 4-1.

The country's sixth-ranked at 149-pounds, Lachlan McNeil, cruised to a 22-6 technical fall for the final Carolina win of the night, behind a five-takedown first period.

Up next, Carolina travels to Duke next Friday, for the first ACC road matchup. Action between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils gets underway from Durham at 7 PM.

No. 25 North Carolina 20, No. 8 Virginia Tech 17
January 10, 2025 | Carmichael Arena | Attendance: 1,247
125: No. 20 Spencer Moore (UNC) over No. 4 Eddie Ventresca (VT): 4-1 SV Dec
133: No. 15 Ethan Oakley (UNC) over Dillon Campbell (VT): 4-1 SV Dec
141: No. 11 Sam Latona (VT) over No. 27 Jayden Scott (UNC): 2-0 Dec
149: No. 6 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) over Hunter Mason (VT): 22-6 TF
157: No. 13 Rafael Hipolito (VT) over No. 26 Sonny Santiago (UNC): 14-7 Dec
165: No. 25 Mac Church (VT) over Collin Carrigan (UNC): 14-2 MD
174: No. 20 Joshua Ogunsanya (UNC) over No. 13 Lennox Wolak (VT): 7-5 Dec
184: No. 24 Gavin Kane (UNC) over No. 29 TJ Stewart (VT): Fall (3:29)
197: No. 8 Andy Smith (VT) over Cade Lautt (UNC): 4-1 SV Dec
285: No. 15 Jimmy Mullen (VT) over Nolan Neves (UNC): 20-8 MD