Wrestling: Ohio State looks to keep early-season momentum heading to Virginia Tech

Kole Emplit
Fri, 19 Nov 2021 14:35:11 +0000
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The Ohio State wrestling coaching staff watches the current match during the Ohio State-Rutgers match on Jan. 24. Ohio State won 19-14. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

The No. 8 Buckeyes (1-0) will square off against No. 10 Virginia Tech (0-0) in their first road dual of the season and a top-10 matchup.

Ohio State opened its season with a 23-12 win in its first dual against No. 14 North Carolina.?

The dual will be highlighted at the 174-pound division between No. 6 redshirt senior Ethan Smith of Ohio State and No. 4 redshirt junior Mekhi Lewis for Virginia Tech.?

Smith won his first match against North Carolina’s redshirt freshman Gavin Kane, picking up a 17-10 decision. Last weekend, he followed up at the Intercollegiate Open in Tiffin, Ohio, going 4-0 and claiming the 174-pound title.?

“The biggest jump he’s going to make is his mindset. Ethan has got a deep belief in himself,” head coach Tom Ryan said. “He’s going to be confident on the mat, and his opponents are going to have to keep up.”

The other match highlighted will be No. 2 redshirt junior Sammy Sasso against Virginia Tech’s No. 9 junior Bryce Andonian in the 149-pound weight class.?

Sasso had a strong debut against North Carolina’s redshirt-senior Zach Sherman, winning 4-3 by decision. He also took home the 149-pound title at the Ohio Intercollegiate Open after going 4-0 in the tournament.

Sasso said his most significant change on the mat has been being more aggressive.?

“Last year, I wrestled more conservative than I would’ve liked,” Sasso said. “I don’t care how you wrestle or who you are, and I’m going to give you everything I got.”?

The dual will be the 17th meeting between the two teams, with Ohio State winning 13 of the previous 16 matchups.?

The dual is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen on ACC Network Extra and ESPN+.?