January 30, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Virginia recorded its first ACC wrestling win of the season, defeating Duke by a score of 37-7.

Virginia's Matt Roth (Wescosville, Pa./Parkland) notched a pin just 1:20 into the match, giving the Cavaliers a 9-0 lead as he etched his name into the Cavalier record books by becoming Virginias all-time pin leader with 22. He breaks the old record held by teammate Jim Harshaw (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley). Also tonight, Roth competed in his 56th career dual match, breaking the tie he held with former Cavalier great Jason Mutarelli. Roth now has a record of 38-18 in dual matches.

Virginia jumped on top with a 7-2 victory at heavyweight recorded by Ryan Painter (Rainelle, W.V./Rainelle). Roth followed with his pin at 125, and Jason Bernd (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) also recorded a pin for Virginia, pinning his opponent with 58 seconds left in the match. After 133, the Cavaliers were up 15-0. Duke got on the board as P.J. Bory (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) lost 10-2 to Jason Gorski at 141, but John Pozniak (State College, Pa./State College) scored a technical fall on his opponent at 149 with a 24-9 decision to put Virginia up 20-4.

Virginias Greg Francesca (Union, N.J./Blair Academy) scored the third Cavalier pin of the day as he threw his opponent 32 seconds into the second period to put Virginia up 26-4. At 165, Harshaw gave the Cavaliers an insurmountable 29-4 lead with a 7-1 decision. At 174, Virginias John Qualter (Short Hills, N.J./Millburn) lost to Tom Cass in criteria overtime, making the score 29-7 in favor of the Cavaliers.

At 184, Jason Leneau (Baltimore, Md./Boys Latin) wrestled in his first collegiate bout of his career. He joined the team two days ago, on loan from the lacrosse program, because of injuries to the wrestling squad. Leneau won by decision, recording a 10-8 victory.

Craig Fenstermaker (Hilton Head, S.C./Northampton (Pa.)) closed out the evening with a technical fall at 17-7 to make the final score 37-7 in favor of the Cavaliers.

Virginia (5-4-1, 1-1 ACC) continues its ACC weekend with a match against N.C. State tomorrow, January 30. Match time against the Wolfpack is 1:00 pm at Memorial Gym.

 Wgt Result                                                       (UVA-Duke)
 HWT Painter (UVA) dec. Alex Hunt 7-2                                3-0
 125 Roth (UVA) WBF Brijal Padia 1:20                                9-0
 133 Bernd (UVA) WBF Sean Meakim 6:02                               15-0
 141 Jason Gorski (D) dec. Bory (UVA) 10-2                          15-4
 149 Pozniak (UVA) dec. Bill West 24-9                              20-4
 157 Francesca (UVA) WBF Deuce Harris 3:32                          26-4
 165 Harshaw (UVA) dec. Matt Mapes 7-1                              29-4
 174 Tom Cass (D) dec. Qualter (UVA) 6-5, ot, criteria              29-7
 184 Leneau (UVA) dec. Jay Klug 10-8                                32-7
 197 Fenstermaker (UVA) tech fall Daegan Smith 17-1                 37-7