As the saying goes: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
While the mantra worked against its original author Mike Tyson on Friday night, it was a common theme for No. 7 Virginia Tech in its dominant 23-10 home-opening win over No. 8 Missouri. The Hokies (2-0) took seven of 10 bouts versus the Tigers (1-1), overwhelming their opponents with a myriad of quick and powerful shots off the first whistle.
Tech was led by a pair of major decisions from No. 1 Caleb Henson (149) and No. 25 Rafael Hipolito (157).
Henson opened the season with a dominant 9-0 victory over Missouri’s No. 24 Logan Gioffre. The reigning national champion berated Gioffre with attacks in the first period but wasn’t able to notch a score. After flipping Gioffre on his back to end the second to lead 4-0, he added another five points in the third via an escape, takedown and riding time to nab the major decision win. The victory was his 12th in a row against a non-ACC opponent.
Hipolito shined in his first dual inside Cassell Coliseum, overpowering Missouri’s No. 32 James Conway, 11-3. In an instant off the opening whistle, he snared Conway’s legs for a quick takedown and never looked back. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion put on an offensive display, constantly taking shots and eventually adding two more takedowns and the riding time point to secure his fourth bonus-point victory and move to 6-0 on the year.
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No. 10 Connor McGonagle (133) dominated in his Cassell debut as well Friday night, blanketing Missouri’s No. 29 Kade Moore 3-0. The Lehigh transfer got a takedown in the first minute of the match and fended Moore off for the final seven minutes to lock up the victory.
McGonagle’s win came in between decision victories from No. 13 Eddie Ventresca (125) and No. 18 Sam Latona (141).
Ventresca opened the dual with a thrilling 6-5 victory over Missouri’s Gage Walker. Despite giving up an early takedown, the redshirt junior escaped countered with an ankle pick to tie the match at four by the end of the first period. Walker and Ventresca traded escape points in the following two periods, with the Hokies lightweight pulling out the win with the riding-time point to move to 5-0 on the season.
Meanwhile, Latona and Missouri’s No. 13 Josh Edmond were scoreless after the first period, but Tech’s veteran snagged an escape and a takedown in the second period to power him to the 4-2 win.
The Hokies blanked Missouri in the first half of the dual, leading 17-0 after the first five matches. Yet all of their momentum stopped shortly after as Mac Church (165), No. 4 Lennox Wolak (174) and No. 5 Thomas Stewart Jr. (184) suffered three consecutive losses as the Tigers clawed back into the dual.
Church — who made the leap from 141 to 165 this offseason — defended well against Missouri’s No. 14 Cam Steed but failed to finish on a shot. He did earn an important escape point with 30 seconds left in the dual to prevent the major decision, falling 8-1.
Wolak fell to Missouri’s No. 1 Keegan O’Toole in the next bout, 13-5. Unlike Church, the Columbia transfer was unable to avoid the major decision defeat against the two-time national champion, who nabbed a late escape point to secure the bonus-point win.
Stewart Jr. fell to Missouri’s No. 12 Colton Hawks a match later, 8-2. The returning All-American got in on a nice shot to start the match but was unable to secure Hawks, leading to the Tiger wrestler scoring the first takedown of the bout after a scramble. Stewart Jr. cut the deficit to 4-2 in the third period, but another Hawks takedown put the match on ice.
Following the string of losses, Virginia Tech led by just seven with two matches left, needing a win to lock up the dual, but both No. 13 Andy Smith (197) and No. 15 Jimmy Mullen (285) delivered with emphatic wins.
Following a scoreless first period, Smith escaped to begin the second and then took advantage of a poor shot from Missouri’s Aedon Sinclair to grab a takedown and a 4-0 lead. He added another pair of takedowns to build his lead to 10-2 by the end of the period, going on to win 12-9 and secure the dual for VT.
Mullen ended the night with a solid 4-2 win over Missouri’s No. 20 Seth Nitzel. The Hokie heavyweight scored on a double-leg takedown in the first period and grinded out the victory over the following two periods to move to 8-0 on the year.
Tech is back in Blacksburg on Friday to take on No. 18 Rutgers at 7 p.m. ET in the Moss Arts Center. The Hokies handled the Scarlet Knights 19-13 last year in Piscataway, N.J.
Results: No. 7 Virginia Tech 23, No. 8 Missouri 10
125: No. 13 Eddie Ventresca (VT) dec. Gage Walker (MIZZ), 6-5
133: No. 1o Connor McGonagle (VT) dec. No. 29 Kade Moore (MIZZ), 3-0
141: No. 18 Sam Latona (VT) dec. No. 13 Josh Edmond (MIZZ), 4-2
149: No. 1 Caleb Henson (VT) maj dec. No. 24 Logan Gioffre (MIZZ), 9-0
157: No. 25 Rafael Hipolito (VT) maj dec. No. 32 James Conway (MIZZ), 11-3
165: No. 14 Cam Steed (MIZZ) dec. Mac Church (VT), 8-1
174: No. 1 Keegan O’Toole (MIZZ) maj dec. No. 4 Lennox Wolak (VT), 13-5
184: No. 12 Colton Hawks (MIZZ) dec. No. 5 Thomas Stewart Jr. (VT), 8-2
197: No. 13 Andy Smith (VT) dec. Aedon Sinclair (MIZZ), 12-9
285: No. 15 Jimmy Mullen (VT) dec. No. 20 Seth Nitzel (MIZZ), 4-2