HAMPTON, Va. – The Washington & Jefferson College men's wrestling team (3-7) closed out the final day of the Virginia Duals with a split of two matches. The Presidents opened the day with a 26-24 win over the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (0-4) before falling to the Marymount Saints (4-7).
 
W&J 26, Johns Hopkins 24
The Presidents got off to a hot start, taking the opening three weight classes. Sophomore Captain Josh Smith (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) wrestled his way to a tight 10-8 decision at the 141-pound weight class to extend the Presidents' lead.
 
The Blue Jays did not go away and found their stride to take an 18-15 overall lead heading into the closing moments. W&J closed out the dual by winning two of the last three bouts. Sophomore Vitali Daniels (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth) had a 16-0 technical fall in the 184-pound weight class to give the lead back to the Presidents. Junior Jaden Fields (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) clinched the overall win for the Presidents with a pin just over 90 seconds into the 197-pound bout.
 
W&J 14, Marymount 26
The Saints got off to a strong start, taking the opening two matches and an early 10-0 lead. W&J kept fighting as Josh Smith (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) remained undefeated on the weekend and wrestled his way to an 8-4 decision to get the Presidents on the board. Senior Bryce Rodriguez-Uram (Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton) followed it up with a 12-8 decision at the 149-pound weight class.
 
In a bout that needed an extra period, sophomore Jackson Sandor (Apollo, Pa./The Kiski School) ultimately fell in a hard-fought 157-pound match by a score of 12-9 from sudden victory.
 
W&J continued to show their fight as Vitali Daniels (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth) and junior captain Jiovanni DeChicchis (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) closed the gap to 18-14 in their two bouts. DeChicchis got a takedown with just under a minute into the closing period to take the 174-pound weight class. Daniels continued his winning ways with an 18-0 technical fall in just under five minutes.
 
Marymount went on to claim the final two matches and the overall dual by a score of 26-14.
 
The Presidents return home to Salvitti Family Gymnasium on Wednesday (Jan. 14) when they host a dual against the Muskingum Fighting Muskies. The dual will commence at 7:00 p.m.