The match started at 125 pounds, where Justin Staylor gave the Hokies three team points with a 5-1 decision over Kellan McKeon. Staylor scored first on a takedown to take a 2-0 lead into the second period. In the second period, Staylor scored a reversal for a four-point advantage. McKeon earned a point after Staylor was called for an illegal hold at the end of the second period but that was the only point McKeon would score in the match. Staylor was awarded the fifth point at the end of the match due to riding time for the 5-1 victory.
At 133 pounds, Virginia Tech took a 6-0 lead on Sheridan Moran's 11-9 overtime victory over freshman Michael Degli Obizzi. Moran started the match with a takedown before Degli Obizzi scored a point on an escape to close the gap to one point in the first period. In the second period, Degli Obizzi took a 3-2 lead with a takedown and then scored three back points to go ahead 6-2. Moran answered by scoring two points on a reversal and three back points to take a 7-6 lead after two periods. Degli Obizzi took an 8-7 lead on a reversal but Moran countered with a reversal of his own to go ahead 9-8. Degli Obizzi tied the match at 9-9 with an escape to force a draw after three periods. In the overtime period, Moran scored a takedown to win the match, 11-9 and pick up his first career ACC win.
Moving to 141 pounds, 17th-ranked David Hoffman pinned Wes Kuser at the 6:23 mark to put the Hokies up 12-0. Hoffman led 10-2 before picking up the pin in the third period.
Duke got on the board at 149 pounds when Daniel Shvartsman scored a 21-6 technical fall win over Joe Thompson. Shvartsman scored four takedowns in the opening period to take an 8-3 lead into the second period. Shvartsman lead 15-5 after two periods after scoring on three takedowns and one escape. Shvartsman then scored four straight points to take a 19-5 lead before Thompson scored on an escape. With his ninth takedown of the match, Shvartsman pushed his lead to 21-6, earning the technical fall victory.
Cameron Harms pulled the Blue Devils to within four points at 157 pounds with a 9-4 decision over freshman Dave Kiley. Harms started the bout with a 5-0 lead after scoring on a takedown and earning three back points. Kiley earned an escape point to make it 5-1 at the end of the first period. Kiley made it a one-point match after scoring on an escape and a takedown before Harms earned a point on an escape of his own to take a 6-4 lead at the end of the second period. Harms then scored on an escape and a takedown in the third period for the 9-4 win.
At 165 pounds Tech's Tucker Michels picked up his second straight win with a 7-3 decision over Aaron Glover. Glover opened the match with a takedown to take a 2-0 lead over Michels. After Michels was awarded one point on an illegal hold by Glover, he scored on an escape and a reversal for a 4-2 lead. Glover scored on an escape to make it a 4-3 match after one period. In the second period, Michels scored on an escape and a takedown for a 7-3 advantage heading into the final period. Neither wrestler managed a point in the third period, giving Michels the 7-3 win.
With Tech leading by seven points with four matches left, Steve Ratley took to the mat in a bit of a surprise. Ratley missed the Ohio match with an injury and was thought to be out again Thursday night. Instead, Ratley gutted out a 4-1 win over Levi Craig to give Tech a 10-point lead. Ratley held a 2-0 lead after scoring on a takedown in the first period. Craig closed the gap to 2-1 in the second period, scoring on an escape. In the third period, Ratley scored a two-point reversal with 12 seconds left in the match for the 4-1 victory.
Dan Tulley brought the Blue Devils back to within six at 18-12 by scoring a 13-1 major decision victory over Mark Czarny at 184 pounds. Tulley led 5-1 after the opening period, scoring on two takedowns and earning a point when Czarny was called for stalling. Tulley pushed his lead to 10-1 after two periods, scoring on an escape and a takedown before being awarded two consecutive points on stalling calls. In the third period, Tulley was awarded two points on Czarny's fourth stalling violation and earned one point due to riding time for the 13-1 major decision victory.
Tech then forfeited to Duke's Konrad Dudziak at 197 pounds to tie the match up at 18 apiece.
The dual meet came down to the final bout of the evening, where Faust, ranked ninth in the country, came up big with a 13-6 decision over Wade Van Sickle to clinch the match. Faust carried a 4-2 lead entering the second period after scoring on a takedown and a reversal. Van Sickle closed the gap to 4-3 with an escape but that was as close as he would get. Faust ran off four straight points to take an 8-3 lead early in the third period. Van Sickle scored on an escape to cut the lead to 8-4 before Faust's takedown put the redshirt senior up 10-4. Van Sickle scored on two escapes but it wasn't enough as Faust held off the freshman for a 13-6 win.
The Hokies wrap up dual meet competition on Sunday, Feb. 19 when they host N.C. State at Cassell Coliseum. The match begins at 2 p.m., and Tech will honor its two seniors - Hoffman and Faust - before the match.
Virginia Tech 21
Duke 18
125 J. Staylor (VT) dec. K. McKeon, 5-1
133 S. Moran (VT) dec. M. Degli Obizzi, 11-9
141 #17 D. Hoffman (VT) fall W. Kuser, 6:23
149 D. Shvartsman (D) tech fall J. Thompson, 21-6
157 C. Harms (D) dec. D. Kiley, 9-4
165 T. Michels (VT) dec. A. Glover, 7-3
174 S. Ratley (VT) dec. L. Craig, 4-1
184 D. Tulley (D) maj. dec. M. Czarny, 13-1
197 K. Dudziak (D) win by forfeit
285 #9 M. Faust (VT) dec. W. Van Sickle, 13-6
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