HAMPTON, Va. (Jan. 10, 2015) – Edinboro lost a pair of close matches on Saturday to finish fourth at the 35th annual Virginia Duals at the Hampton Coliseum. In both matches the tenth-ranked Fighting Scots were unable to come up with wins in the upper weight classes, which was amplified by the absence of two-time A.J. Schopp in the lineup.
 
The Fighting Scots faced 16th-ranked Virginia in the semifinals in a rematch of the 2014 finals. They would jump out to a 13-4 lead but the Cavaliers won five of the last six matches to claim a 20-17 triumph. Edinboro met Old Dominion, ranked 24th, in the third place match. This time the Scots were unable to hold on to a 12-4 lead as the Monarchs ran off victories in four of the last five bouts. The two defeats dropped Edinboro to 8-4 in dual meets.
 
#16 VIRGINIA 20, #10 EDINBORO 17
Kory Mines got the match underway, as the 19th-ranked wrestler at 125 lbs. posted a 9-1 major decision over Nick Herman. Anthony Rivera, filling in at 133 lbs. for Schopp, lost a 17-4 major decision to 17th-ranked George DiCamillo.
 
Second-ranked Mitchell Port posted his seventh fall of the season at 5:22 over Justin VanHoose at 141 lbs., and third-ranked Dave Habat rallied from a 5-2 deficit to win an 11-5 decision over 11th-ranked Gus Sako at 149 lbs..
 
Chase Delande, filling in for Kasey Burnett-Davis who was filling in for Austin Matthews at 157 lbs., dropped a 5-3 decision to Andrew Atkinson at 157 lbs. That started a string of three straight wins for Virginia. Second-ranked Nick Sulzer won a 15-4 major decision over Casey Fuller at 165 lbs., and fifth-ranked Blaise Butler gave the Cavaliers their first lead with an 8-4 decision over Patrick Jennings.
 
Edinboro reclaimed the lead at 16-14 as 12th-ranked Vic Avery won a 14-4 major decision over Tyler Askey.
 
Virginia swept the 197 and 285 lb. matches to claim the victory. Vince Pickett put up a good battle against 20th-ranked Zach Nye but fell 3-0. Warren Bosch needed to win for the Scots at heavyweight, but he would fall to Pat Gillen 9-2.                     
 
#16 VIRGINIA 20, #10 EDINBORO 17
Virginia Duals Semifinals
January 10, 2015
Hampton, Va.
 
125 -- #19 Kory Mines (EU) maj. dec. Nick Herman (UVA) 9-1
133 -- #17 George DiCamillo (UVA) maj. dec. Anthony Rivera (EU) 17-4
141 -- #2 Mitchell Port (EU) fall over Justin VanHoose (UVA) 5:22
149 -- #3 Dave Habat (EU) dec. #11 Gus Sako (UVA) 11-5
157 – Andrew Atkinson (UVA) dec. Chase Delande (EU) 5-3
165 – #2 Nick Sulzer (UVA) maj. dec. Casey Fuller (EU) 15-4
174 – #5 Blaise Butler (UVA) dec. Patrick Jennings (EU) 8-4
184 -- #12 Vic Avery (EU) maj. dec. Tyler Askey (UVA) 14-4
197 – #20 Zach Nye (UVA) dec. Vince Pickett (EU) 3-0
Hwt – Pat Gillen (UVA) dec. Warren Bosch (EU) 9-2
 
RECORDS:            Edinboro             8-3                                                         
                             Virginia                8-2

#24 OLD DOMINION 16, #10 EDINBORO 15
The match had just one bout won by bonus points, and that proved to be the winning margin. Edinboro won four of the first five matches, with Old Dominion coming back to claim four of the final five. All were decision except at 133 lbs., where Michael Hayes won by major decision over Rivera (3-8) 9-0. 
Mines improved to 22-6 as he edged Brandon Jeske 3-2. Port remained undefeated at 22-0 with his second victory over ninth-ranked Chris Mecate in less than two weeks, this one a 5-0 decision. Port now has a 120-15 career record.
Habat also went over 120 career wins on Saturday as his second win was a 4-0 decision over 15th-ranked Alexander Richardson. He is 23-1 on the season and 121-25 for his career.   
Burnett-Davis (11-8) returned to wrestle in the evening and won a 2-1 decision over T.C. Warner. Unfortunately, Edinboro would win just one more match. Fuller (14-10) dropped an 8-2 decision to 16th-ranked Tristan Warner, but Jennings (21-8) answered with a 3-1 decision over Austin Coburn at 174 lbs.  
 
That gave Edinboro a 15-7 lead, but Old Dominion won the last three bouts by decision to edge the Scots. In the third matchup if nationally-ranked wrestlers, fourth-ranked Jack Dechow won an 8-1 decision over 12th-ranked Avery at 184 lbs. to drop Avery to 19-6.
 
Pickett's struggles continued at 197 lbs. as he fell to 12-12 with his eighth straight loss, a 5-1 decision to Kevin Beazley. Clinging to a 15-13 lead, the match again came down to heavyweight. Bosch (10-14) would fall to Jacob Henderson 2-0 on a takedown with seven seconds left in the first period.
 
Virginia Tech claimed the 2015 Virginia Duals championship by the same 16-15 score over Virginia.
Edinboro returns to action on Sunday, January 18 hosting Kent State. 
 
#24 OLD DOMINION 16, #10 EDINBORO 15
Virginia Duals Third Place Match
January 10, 2015
Hampton, Va.
 
125 -- #19 Kory Mines (EU) dec. Brandon Jeske (ODU) 3-2
133 – Michael Hayes (ODU) maj. dec. Anthony Rivera (EU) 9-0
141 -- #2 Mitchell Port (EU) dec. #9 Chris Mecate (ODU) 5-0
149 -- #3 Dave Habat (EU) dec. #15 Alexander Richardson (ODU) 4-0
157 – Kasey Burnett-Davis (EU) dec. T.C. Warner (ODU) 2-1
165 – #16 Tristan Warner (ODU) dec. Casey Fuller (EU) 8-2
174 – Patrick Jennings (EU) dec. Austin Coburn (ODU) 3-1
184 – #4 Jack Dechow (ODU) dec. #12 Vic Avery (EU) 8-1
197 – Kevin Beazley (ODU) dec. Vince Pickett (EU) 5-1
Hwt – Jacob Henderson (ODU) dec. Warren Bosch (EU) 2-0
 
RECORDS:            Edinboro                             8-4                                                         
                             Old Dominion                      6-3