In a winner-take-all bout, there’s only one heavyweight that’s automatic — No. 2 sixth year Isaac Trumble.
In a back-and-forth match, NC State wrestling needed its star to pilot the plane on the road. Clinging to a 15-13 lead, Trumble took the mat to face reigning ACC champion No. 15 Dayton Pitzer. Last year, the Panther defeated Trumble in the ACC semifinals on his way to the conference crown.
The biggest difference in the rematch was that Trumble entered the match healthy. Even on the road, Trumble would not be denied. With a third period takedown, Trumble seized the lead and emerged victorious 5-2.
Thanks to Trumble’s heroics in the heavyweight bout, NC State picked up a gritty 18-13 victory over Pitt. The Pack won six of 10 bouts and needed every single win to escape victorious in the Steel City.
The Wolfpack (13-4, 4-1 ACC) responded well on the road after suffering its first ACC loss of the year last week. The Panthers (10-3, 2-2 ACC) proved to be a challenging foe, but failed against NC State’s best wrestlers when the spotlight was brightest. The win marks the red-and-white’s seventh straight victory over Pitt.
The night started strong for NC State with four straight wins. All four wins were via decision, giving the Pack a 12-0 lead. The Pack earned an upset in the 133 pound bout when sixth year Zach Redding stole a win over No. 23 Evan Tallmadge. The 2-0 bout was decided via an escape and riding time point for Redding.
Pitt turned the tide in the 157 pound bout, as No. 17 Dylan Evans got the Panthers on the board with a major decision over redshirt freshman Luca Felix. The Pack punched right back in the 165 pound bout as No. 10 Will Denny controlled his match, winning 8-3 over No. 33 Jared Keslar.
The Panthers made their final push in the 174, 184 and 197 pound bouts. After seemingly being out, Pitt stormed back with three ranked wrestlers getting points for the Panthers to draw within two points ahead of the heavyweight match.
The most shocking result of the night came during Pitt’s late match run in the 174 pound bout. No. 6 redshirt junior Matty Singleton suffered a 7-2 upset at the hands of No. 18 Luca Augustine. The Panther led start to finish, dominating the final period with five points to send Singleton home with loss.
The 184 and 194 pound results were less surprising. Pitt’s No. 27 Chase Kranitz never trailed in a 7-2 decision over sixth year Don Cates in the 184 pound match. Then in the 194 pound bout, NC State’s own No. 24 redshirt sophomore Patrick Brophy held strong for two periods, before No. 8 Mac Stout pulled away for an 8-2 win.
Despite the late-match dip, the Pack showed resilience and did what it needed to — earning a win over one of the better squads in the nation. Pitt holds wins over then-No. 11 North Carolina, then-No. 14 Lehigh and then-No. 17 West Virginia. This is one of the Panthers’ better squads in recent memory and is a tough out. Defeating Pitt on the road is a statement-making response after falling to No. 7 Virginia Tech last week.
Next up, NC State will have a 10 match winning-streak against Duke on the line for its ACC finale Friday, Feb. 13. The Blue Devils have failed to win an ACC dual meet since 2018. Competition begins at 7 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
