No. 6 Virginia Tech secured sole possession of the ACC regular-season title with a 26-17 victory over Duke on Friday night in Cassell Coliseum.
The Hokies (11-3, 6-0 ACC) closed conference dual competition unbeaten, finishing a perfect run through league opponents in front of their home crowd.
Tech won six bouts on the night against the Blue Devils (6-13, 0-6) — including two technical falls and a forfeit — to capture its latest ACC championship.
Here is a bout-by-bout recap of how the dual transpired.
125: Spencer von Sovoye (Duke) 11, Ryan Messick (VT) 2
With Eddie Ventresca out of the lineup, Messick got the start at 125 for the Hokies.
Sovoye struck first with a takedown and built riding time early, carrying a 3-1 lead after the opening period. He added another escape and takedown in the second and continued to hold position from the top. A late takedown and riding-time bonus secured the 11-2 decision.
Virginia Tech trailed 4-0 early.
133: No. 7 Aaron Seidel (VT) forfeit win
Duke forfeited at 133, awarding Tech six team points by rule.
The Hokies jumped in front 6-4.
141: Tom Crook (VT) 7, Raymond Adams (Duke) 4
Crook wasted little time generating offense, scoring a first-period takedown and adding two near-fall points to take a 5-0 lead.
Adams responded with an escape and takedown, but Crook countered with an escape of his own to close the first period up 6-4. A third-period escape provided the final margin in a 7-4 decision.
Virginia Tech stretched its advantage to 9-4.
149: Dylan Ross (Duke) 4, Chris Bacchioni (VT) 1 (SV)
In a tightly-contested bout, neither wrestler secured a takedown in regulation. Both earned escapes in the second and third periods to force overtime tied at one.
In sudden victory, Ross won a scramble and finished the deciding takedown to earn the 4-1 win.
The Hokies’ lead narrowed to 9-7.
157: No. 16 Ethen Miller (VT) 11, Mike Boulanger (Duke) 2
In his final home dual, Miller delivered a composed performance.
He scored early, added a second takedown in the opening frame and accumulated over a minute of riding time to build a 6-1 advantage after one period. Miller extended the lead in the second and added another takedown late, securing the riding-time point for an 11-2 major decision.
Tech created separation at 13-7.
165: No. 33 Mac Church (VT) 9, Aurelius Dunbar (Duke) 3
Church controlled position throughout, opening with a takedown and building his advantage steadily. He added an escape and another takedown in the third while limiting Dunbar’s offense. A riding-time point sealed the 9-3 decision.
Virginia Tech moved ahead 16-7.
174: No. 23 Aidan Wallace (Duke) forfeit win
The Hokies forfeited at 174, surrendering six team points to the Blue Devils.
Duke closed within 16-13.
184: No. 30 Jaden Bullock (VT) 19, David Hussey (Duke) 4 (TF, 7:00)
Bullock swung momentum back firmly in Tech’s favor.
He scored less than 40 seconds into the match and controlled from the top, piling up four near-fall points in the opening period. After trading reversals and takedowns in the second, Bullock carried a 12-2 lead into the third. Two more takedowns in the final frame secured the 19-4 technical fall at the buzzer.
The bonus-point win pushed the Hokies ahead 21-13.
197: No. 11 Sonny Sasso (VT) 18, Owen McGrory (Duke) 3 (TF, 7:00)
Sasso notched an early takedown, and after letting McGrory up, he went back in on a sweeping double. He routinely attacked and led 13-3 after the second period, which included 3:35 of riding time, and clinched the Hokies’ championship with a technical fall.
That extended Virginia Tech’s lead to 26-13 and clinched the ACC regular season title.
HWT: Connor Barket (Duke) 8, Parker Farrell (VT) 0
To close the regular season with the dual decided, Farrell wrestled in place of Jimmy Mullen.
He was taken down quickly in the first and opted to take neutral in the second, giving Barket the 4-0 lead. Barket secured another third-period takedown, along with a riding-time bonus point to land the 8-0 major decision.
The Hokies are back in action in two weeks on Sunday, March 8, at the ACC championships, which they’re hosting in Cassell Coliseum. Action starts at 10 a.m. ET, with the championship matches taking place at 8 p.m. ET.
Results: No. 6 Virginia Tech 26, Duke 17
• 125: Spencer von Sovoye (Duke) 11, Ryan Messick (VT) 2
• 133: No. 7 Aaron Seidel (VT) win via forfeit
• 141: Tom Crook (VT) 7, Raymond Adams (Duke) 4
• 149: Dylan Ross (Duke) 4, Chris Bacchioni (VT) 1 (SV)
• 157: No. 16 Ethen Miller (VT) 11, Mike Boulanger (Duke) 2
• 165: No. 33 Mac Church (VT) 9, Aurelius Dunbar (Duke) 3
• 174: No. 23 Aidan Wallace (Duke) win via forfeit
• 184: No. 30 Jaden Bullock (VT) 19, David Hussey (Duke) 4 (TF, 7:00)
• 197: No. 11 Sonny Sasso (VT) 18, Owen McGrory (Duke) 3 (TF, 7:00)
• 285: Connor Barket (Duke) 8, Parker Farrell (VT) 0