BLACKSBURG, Va (Nov. 16, 2013). – The Edinboro wrestling team opened the dual meet portion of its season with a tough 23-14 loss at eighth-ranked Virginia Tech on Saturday morning. The Fighting Scots came in ranked ninth in the latest USAT Today/NWCA/AWN Division I Coaches Poll, making it the first-ever matchup of top ten teams at Cassell Coliseum.

The Fighting Scots came in short-handed, with starters Mitchell Port and Vic Avery both out of the lineup due to injuries suffered at last week's Michigan State Open. Both are ranked in the top ten at their respective weight classes of 141 and 184 lbs.

Edinboro would jump out to a 14-6 lead after five weight classes, but Virginia Tech would sweep the final five matches. Kory Mines opened the match with an upset of 20^th-ranked Joey Dance at 125 lbs. The junior improved to 5-1 thanks to the lone takedown less than 20 seconds into the match. He would an escape to start the second period and a point for riding time for a 4-2 decision.

A.J. Schopp, ranked seventh at 133 lbs., followed with an 8-0 major decision over two-time national qualifier Erik Spjut. Following a scoreless first period, Schopp turned Spjut for three nearfall points midway through the second period. He added a takedown early in the third period, with two more points for stalling and a riding time point. The junior improved to 6-0 overall and 78-11 in his career.

The featured matchup of the match was to have occurred at 141 lbs., with second-ranked Port meeting third-ranked Devin Carter. It did not take place due to Port's injury, and Carter, an All-American at 133 lbs., made short work of redshirt freshman Sam Recco. He won by fall at 1:36.

Dave Habat, ranked 11^th, provided the biggest win of the match for Edinboro with a 10-7 decision at 149 lbs. over No. 5 Zach Neibert in a matchup of ranked wrestlers. The junior jumped out to 6-2 lead after one period thanks to a pair of takedowns and two nearfall points, but Neibert, an All-American a year ago, closed to 8-7 in the final minutes. Habat would record a reversal with 33 seconds remaining to post the upset. He is now 7-1.

Kasey Burnett-Davis took the mat for Edinboro at 157 lbs., with Johnny Greisheimer moving up to 165 lbs. Burnett-Davis was impressive in an 11-1 major decision over Chad Strube. The junior would register four takedowns plus two nearfall points while improving to 4-2.
Greisheimer was not as fortunate, as the fifth-year senior held a 5-2 lead after one period thanks to two takedowns, but ultimately lost 8-7 to Chris Moon. A second period escape boosted the lead to 6-2, but Moon closed to 6-4 with a late takedown. In the third period, Moon tied the score with a reversal , Greisheimer would escape for a 7-6 lead with 54 seconds left. Moon recorded the winning takedown with 15 seconds to wrestle, dropping Greisheimer to 4-3.

That would be begin a string of five straight wins for the Hokies. Austin Gabel won by major decision over Patrick Jennings at 174 lbs., 13-3, to close the match to 14-13.

As fate would have it, VTU took the lead thanks to a win at 184 lbs. Fill-in Nick Mitchell battled gamely, but the redshirt freshman dropped a 5-3 decision to Nick Vetterlein. Chris Penny boosted VTU's lead to 20-14 with an 11-3 major decision over Vincent Pickett at 197 lbs.

Ernest James, ranked 20^th at heavyweight, suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final match. The senior traded escapes with redshirt freshman Ty Walz in the second and third periods. They headed into sudden victory tied at 1-1. James, however, had been warned for stalling in the second period, and was handed his second stalling warning with 28 seconds remaining to give Walz a 2-1 decision and drop James to 4-2.

Edinboro will return to action on Thursday, December 5, hosting fourth-ranked Iowa at 7 p.m. at McComb Fieldhouse.

#8 VIRGINIA TECH 23, #9 EDINBORO 14
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Cassell Coliseum
Blacksburg, VA

125 lbs.: Kory Mines (EU) dec. #20 Joey Dance (VTU), 4-2
133 lbs.: #7 A.J. Schopp (EU) maj. dec. Erik Spjut (VTU), 8-0
141 lbs.: #3 Devin Carter (VTU) fall over Sam Recco (EU), 1:36
149 lbs.: #11 Dave Habat (EU) dec. #5 Zach Neibert (VTU), 10-7
157 lbs.: Kasey Burnett-Davis (EU) maj. dec. Chad Strube (VTU), 12-1
165 lbs.: #16 Chris Moon (VTU) dec. Johnny Greisheimer (EU), 8-7
174 lbs. : Austin Gabel (VTU) maj. dec. Patrick Jennings (EU), 13-3
184 lbs.: Nick Vetterlein (VTU) dec. Nick Mitchell (EU), 5-3
197 lbs.: Chris Penny (VTU) maj. dec. Vincent Pickett (EU), 11-3
Hwt.: Ty Walz (VTU) dec. #20 Ernest James, 2-1 sv

Records: Edinboro 0-1, Virginia Tech 1-0