The Blue Devils: Duke is 3-2 on the season, with 11 more head-to-head matches awaiting them. That includes five duals against ACC opponents.
Three starting wrestlers have stood out so far this season for Duke. Redshirt freshman John Barone has a 14-6 record at 174 pounds, with five pins. His record is good for Duke's best individual winning percentage this season, and he won the The Citadel Open on Nov. 4. Junior Wes Kuser has picked up five falls as well, while going 11-9 at 141 pounds. Barone's and Kuser's pin totals are even more impressive in that Duke's season high for falls in all of 2005-06 was four. Duke still has 15 more matches and the ACC Tournament this year. Freshman Voris Tejada has also been outstanding for the Blue Devils, recording a team-best 18 wins, with only eight losses. Tejada, who wrestles at 149 pounds, has also added two falls.
The Opponent: N.C. State is 5-4 on the season, and has faced an impressive list of opponents. Three of their four losses have been to ranked opponents, which include No. 15 Wisconsin (29-9), No. 12 Northwestern (37-9), and No. 4 Iowa (38-9).
The Wolfpack boast three nationally ranked wrestlers. At 157 pounds, junior Kody Hamrah is No. 19 in the USA Today/ Intermat/ NWCA Division I Rankings. Hamrah holds a 10-5 record with one fall this year, and is 3-4 versus ranked opponents. Sophomore Ryan Goodman is ranked No. 13 in the 197 pound weight class, and is 9-1 this season with one pin. Goodman is 2-1 when facing ranked opponents this season. Heavyweight senior Jainor Palma is ranked No. 18 for N.C. State. Palma is 14-3 in 2006-07 with one fall, and is also 2-1 against ranked opponents.
Last Time Out: Duke split a tri-meet with Davidson and Princeton on Jan. 6. The Blue Devils were edged out 18-17 by Davidson, and then thrashed Princeton 44-0. Barone and Mike Tunick recorded pins for Duke against the Tigers.
N.C. State last won all three of its matchups at the N.C. State Duals on Jan. 6. The Wolfpack defeated Drexel 20-13, South Dakota State 32-17, and Gardner-Webb 38-13.
Shvartsman Shimmying Up The Wins List: Senior Daniel Shvartsman continues to move up on the Blue Devils' career wins list. He currently ranks 12th with 76 career victories. Shvartsman is three wins behind Jim Walsh in 11th place, and 29 wins behind all-time leader Bradd Weber.
A Look Ahead: Duke will travel up to Murrysville, Pa., for a quad meet with Duquesne, York, and Apprentice on Sat., Jan. 20 beginning at 4 p.m. The Blue Devils will return home for the first of three consecutive home meets in one week on Wed., Jan. 24, versus Campbell and The Citadel at 7 p.m.
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