The Tigers fell short while continuing to miss two key seniors
After three straight years of close-fought dual meets between Mizzou and Virginia Tech, the Hokies came away with a more comfortable 23-10 victory Friday night in Blacksburg. Let’s get into the action.
All rankings are according to InterMat.
125lbs: #13 Eddie Ventresca (VT) over NR Gage Walker (MIZ), 6-5 Decision
Walker came out on the offensive, getting around Ventresca for a takedown in the first minute. But the top-15 wrestler didn’t take long to establish control, escaping and returning the favor with a single leg shot for three points. Ventresca nearly rode out the period before a last second escape by Walker, tying the match entering period two as the freshman went to bottom.
Walker struggled to escape, finally getting out from under after roughly 90 seconds to take the 5-4 lead. Ventresca nearly scored a takedown in the final seconds, but the freshman defended well to avoid giving up points.
Ventresca got a quick escape from bottom in the final frame, which proved to be the difference as the only score in period three. He avoided the upset with the extra point for riding time. This was a strong showing for Walker, who continues to show plenty of promise for the future.
Mizzou: 0 – Virginia Tech: 3
133lbs: #10 Connor McGonagle (VT) over #29 Kade Moore (MIZ), 3-0 Decision
McGonagle struck first in this match, scoring a first minute takedown after getting in deep on a shot and winning the scramble. The top-10 wrestler rode out the period, putting him clearly in the driver’s seat.
Moore started out on top in period two and rode it out, nearly erasing McGonagle’s advantage in riding time and setting up a possible comeback as they started from neutral in the third period. It wasn’t meant to be, though, as Moore was unable to get his offense going.
He’s been dealing with injuries so far this season, and it’s not clear how much of his issues generating offense stem from that. But we haven’t seen the Kade Moore that generated so much excitement during the last regular season, and he’s one of multiple Tigers struggling to finish takedowns at the moment.
Mizzou: 0 – Virginia Tech: 6
141lbs: #18 Sam Latona (VT) over #13 Josh Edmond (MIZ), 4-2 Decision
There was no scoring in the opening period, setting up another low-scoring match as Latona took bottom to become period two. He scored the quick escape and then got in deep on a single leg shot for the only takedown of the contest after a slow, extended scramble.
Edmond escaped before the end of the period, getting on the board before going back to bottom to start the third. He got the quick escape, putting himself within two points of Latona, but was unable to complete the comeback.
Edmond was able to unlock his talent and explosiveness to finish takedowns and win matches with some of the best in the country towards the end of last season, but he’s looked more like the wrestler we saw towards the start of last year than the end so far.
Mizzou: 0 – Virginia Tech: 9
149lbs: #1 Caleb Henson (VT) over #24 Logan Gioffre (MIZ), 9-0 Major Decision
Henson, the defending national champion, came out on the offensive and took some shots. But Gioffre scrambled well on defense in the first period, setting him up to score the first points of the match as he went to bottom to start period two.
It was Henson who scored first, though, riding out the period and nearly securing a pin in its final seconds. He settled for a four point nearfall, taking a 4-0 lead into period three. Henson quickly escaped to start the third, 5-0, and Gioffre was forced to go on the attack.
Henson caught his shot, counterattacking to get around for another takedown, and riding out the period to secure the extra point for riding time and bonus point victory. This made it three consecutive matches without a takedown for the Tigers, an issue which has plagued the lighter weights early in the season.
Mizzou: 0 – Virginia Tech: 13
157lbs: #25 Rafael Hipolito, Jr. (VT) over #32 Jay Conway, 11-3 Major Decision
Hipolito had a red-hot start in this match, scoring a takedown off a rapid double leg shot in the first five seconds of period one. Conway scored the quick escape, but Hipolito scored another takedown off his double leg and led 6-2 entering the second period after another Conway escape.
Hipolito quickly got out from bottom in the second frame, and Conway began to move forward on the attack more. His offense was ineffective, though, as Hipolito easily defended all of his shots to lead 7-2 entering the final period.
Conway scored another quick escape to start the third, trying to use a headlock multiple times to get around Hipolito for a takedown; it didn’t work. Pressure rising, he lunged for a double leg which Hipolito defended well, leading to another takedown on the reattack and riding out the final minute to second the extra point for riding time and major decision.
The first five wrestlers for Mizzou combined for one takedown, that one coming in the first period of Gage Walker’s match at 125lbs. The back half of this lineup is the Tigers’ strength, but dropping all five matches effectively put this one out of reach for Mizzou before the team could get there.
Mizzou: 0 – Virginia Tech: 17
165lbs: #14 Cam Steed (MIZ) over NR Mac Church (VT), 8-1 Decision
Steed used a front headlock to work his way around Church for his first takedown with about a minute left in the first period, then unsuccessfully tried to get a turn before riding out the rest of the period to lead 3-0.
He started on bottom in period two, getting an escape in the first 15 seconds and going back to the front headlock. Church was able to defend this time and then took his first real shot of the match, but Steed defended well to lead by four entering the final frame.
Steed chose to go for back points on top at the beginning of the third, working to get into position for a pin before the action stalled out with 40 seconds left. Church escaped off the restart, putting him a takedown away from a tied match, but Steed instead scored the final points with a double leg shot in the final seconds for three points.
He rode out the final few seconds, getting the extra point for riding time and another strong result. Steed has been one of Mizzou’s best wrestlers this year, right alongside Keegan O’Toole and Colton Hawks, and has quickly shot up the national rankings for good reason.
Mizzou: 3 – Virginia Tech: 17
174lbs: #1 Keegan O’Toole (MIZ) over #4 Lennox Wolak (VT), 13-5 Major Decision
The first period was full of missed opportunities for O’Toole, who got in deep on shots multiple times and brought Wolak to the mat twice without scoring any takedowns. He had the clear upper hand from the start of the match but was unable to get on the board, heading into period two scoreless.
O’Toole fixed that quickly, escaping from bottom to start the period, and quickly went back on the attack. He continued to struggle with finishing takedowns, shooting multiple times with success as Wolak scrambled well on defense to avoid surrendering any points. Keegan finally secured his first takedown of the match with 40 seconds remaining in period two, riding out the period for a 4-0 lead.
He immediately went for a high single leg shot starting from neutral in the final frame, bringing Wolak to the mat with his strength and securing his second takedown. O’Toole tried to get a pin , getting Wolak on his back, but the Hokies wrestlers escaped.
O’Toole went right back on the attack, using a double leg to score another and going back to working for a tilt. It didn’t work and Keegan cut Wolak off a restart. That’s when Wolak scored his first and only takedown, avoiding a single leg shot from O’Toole and winning a scramble with 30 seconds to go.
O’Toole scored his final two points on a stalling penalty and escape in the last second of the match, giving him the major decision. Wolak looked absolutely gassed at the end of the match after defending relentless attack by O’Toole, and the senior superstar for the Tigers passed his first major test of the season with flying colors.
Mizzou: 7 – Virginia Tech: 17
184lbs: #12 Colton Hawks (MIZ) over #5 Thomas Stewart, Jr. (VT), 8-2 Decision
Hawks secured a statement victory in this match, starting with some stellar defensive scrambling in the opening period. Stewart come out on the attack, nearly scoring a takedown over a minute into the first before Hawks won a scramble to score. He came close to adding some nearfall points in addition to the takedown, and head coach Brian Smith even challenged the ruling before it was upheld on review.
Hawks rode briefly before a Stewart escape, and the All-American quickly got in on a single leg shot. They went to the mat, but Hawks again scrambled out of it to lead 3-1 entering the second period. He escaped from bottom to start the middle frame, which had much less action that the first, and led 4-1 entering period three.
Stewart quickly escaped from bottom, pulling him within two points, but Hawks used his power to slowly work around Stewart for a takedown after the escape and rode out the period to secure an extra point for riding time. After narrowly missing out on All-American status last season, Hawks has looked very impressive and will likely jump into the top 10 at his weight class after this match.
Mizzou: 10 – Virginia Tech: 17
197lbs: #13 Andy Smith (VT) over NR Aeoden Sinclair (MIZ), 12-9 Decision
After a scoreless first period, Andy Smith got on the board with an escape from bottom to start period two and quickly attacked with a single leg shot for a takedown. Sinclair escaped with over a minute left, but Smith added another takedown with a double leg shot before another Sinclair escape.
Smith once again came out on offense, getting at Sinclair’s ankle to secure a takedown in the final five seconds of the frame for an eight point lead entering period three.
Sinclair quickly escaped from bottom, then turned the tables on Smith with newfound aggression. The freshman scored his first takedown of the match on a snap down, go behind and immediately let Smith up to go for more points.
Smith tried to take back the initiative but was stopped by Sinclair, who caught a shot and reattacked for the takedown. He again let Smith escape, 12-9, but was unable to complete the comeback in an impressive final period against a top-15 wrestler.
Mizzou: 10 – Virginia Tech: 20
285lbs: #15 Jimmy Mullen (VT) over #20 Seth Nitzel, 4-2 Decision
After the excitement of the previous match, which also officially put the match out of reach for the Tigers, we returned to the close, low-scoring matches of the dual’s first half. Mullen secured his first and only takedown in the first minute of the match, quickly pouncing on an opening with an explosive double leg for three points.
He rode for close to a minute before Nitzel escaped off a restart, making it 3-1 entering the second period. Nitzel began period two on top and rode out the full two minutes. He was active on top, looking for an opportunity to secure nearfall points, but couldn’t get Mullen on his back.
Nitzel chose to go back to top to begin the final period. Mullen nearly scored a reversal after a Nitzel mat return but instead settled for the escape roughly 30 seconds into the period. Neither wrestler was unable to score in the final 90 seconds, and Nitzel lost by two with his extra point for riding time.
Nitzel has shown an impressive ability to avoid surrendering an escape, similar to his predecessor Zach Elam, and has also shown some flashes of increased offense. But he never really made his mark on the attack in this match, leading to the close defeat.
Mizzou: 10 – Virginia Tech: 23
Multiple weeks into the season, the Tigers are still forming their identity. Noah Surtin and Rocky Elam are out, replaced by freshmen Gage Walker and Aeoden Sinclair. Walker and Sinclair have shown tremendous promise so far, but Mizzou will want Surtin and Elam back soon as they look to begin solidifying the lineup.
Tiger Style doesn’t get a break with a tough 2024-25 schedule, and Mizzou will face #16 Illinois in Champaign on Thursday. The match will start at 7 p.m.
Final from Blacksburg. #MIZ #TigerStyle pic.twitter.com/6qSBYwSnWQ
— Mizzou Wrestling (@MizzouWrestling) November 16, 2024