The Virginia wrestling team continued its climb into the elite of collegiate wrestling yesterday with several dominant individual performances in the Nittany Lion Open, reflecting the team's recent success. Eight Virginia wrestlers placed overall, and two Cavaliers won individual championships, the second most for any team behind Penn State, which won five of the 10 weight classes.
Juniors Eric Albright and Rocco Caponi earned individual titles for the Cavaliers at 133 and 184 pounds, respectively. Albright won several close matches en route to a championship matchup with No. 12 freshman Mike Grey of Cornell, which Albright won 3-2. Caponi recorded two pins and made it to the championship match, which he won 7-2 against Kent State freshman Dustin Kilgore.
Sophomore Pat Riley made it to the quarterfinals at 149 pounds, and freshman Shawn Harris had two pins before losing in the 149-pound semifinal match. Harris placed third.
Junior Kyle Artusio and redshirt sophomore Brent Jones finished fourth at 157 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively. Artusio won four matches before losing two straight in the semifinal and third-place matches. Jones had two pins before losing in the quarterfinal match and the third-place match.
Freshman Nick Nelson and sophomore Kellon Balum won four matches at 141 pounds each before losing in the quarterfinals. Balum pulled out of his next match for medical reasons, while Nelson lost in the fifth-place match.
Junior Mike Sewell and freshman Michael Chaires both lost within their first two matches at 165 pounds, but launched comebacks to wrestle in the fifth-place semifinal. Chaires took fifth place.
Sophomore Ross Gitomer lost his third match of the day at 125 pounds, but fought back into the fifth-place match, winning four matches on the way to a sixth-place finish.
The Cavaliers compete next Dec. 29 and 30 in the Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C.
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