Inside The Panthers

No. 15 Pitt Wrestling Falls to No. 18 North Carolina

The Pitt Panthers fell to their ACC foe in the final bout.

Dominic Campbell

Pitt Wrestling Head Coach Keith Gavin, athletic trainer Brian Bonnar and assistant coach Luke Pletcher
Pitt Wrestling Head Coach Keith Gavin, athletic trainer Brian Bonnar and assistant coach Luke Pletcher / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH — No. 15 Pitt Panthers wrestling battled back against No. 18 North Carolina and looked like they had the win, but fell late at Fitzgerald Field House.

This marked the end of home duals for the Panthers, finishing 5-2 at home on the season and 2-1 in the ACC.

Pitt had home wins over Navy in the season opener on Nov. 2, 35-3, vs. then ranked No. 18 Lehigh, 21-12 on Nov. 24, Division II foe Pitt-Johnstown on Jan. 3, 32-8 and then ranked No. 15 Stanford in their ACC opener on Jan. 10, 24-15. Their other home loss came vs. then ranked No. 5 Ohio State, 20-17 on Dec. 13.

The loss against the Tar Heels (7-5 overall, 3-1 ACC) makes it back-to-back seasons doing so, as they suffered 22-12 defeat in Chapel Hill, N.C. in 2024.

Pitt lost their first four bouts of the night, as they struggled to get anything going offensively.

No. 23 Panthers graduate student Nick Babin (7-5) allowed two takedowns to No. 13 Tar Heels redshirt junior Spencer Moore (13-5) and lost a 6-4 decision, as he made a late reversal, at 125 pounds.

Pitt redshirt freshman Tyler Chappell (3-5) battled with No. 12 UNC redshirt junior Ethan Oakley (16-4) at 133 pounds. Oakley led with an early takedown, but Chappell almost tied it at the end with a last second takedown that didn't count as time expired, suffering a defeat on a 4-1 decision.

Panthers redshirt freshman Anthony Santaniello (9-9) lost in similar fashion, battling hard, but allowing an early takedown and not scoring, as No. 22 Tar Heels redshirt sophomore Jayden Scott (11-7) won a 4-2 decision at 141 pounds.

No. 23 Pitt redshirt sophomore Finn Solomon (11-7) allowed a takedown and four near fall points in the first period, losing a 9-1 major decision after riding time to No. 5 North Carolina redshirt junior Lachlan McNeil (16-3) at 149 pounds.

A close battle ensued at 157 pounds, between No. 23 Panthers redshirt freshman Dylan Evans (16-5) vs. No. 18 Tar Heels redshirt junior Sonny Santiago (7-5).

Both wrestlers made escapes, but Evans would come out with the 4-1 decision, thanks to a takedown with less than five seconds remaining.

"It's a good win for him," Pitt head coach Keith Gavin said on Evans. "That guy's been around for a while, experienced, ranked ahead of him, good win."

Pitt redshirt sophomore Jared Keslar (8-8) had a strong showing at 165 pounds, making a second period takedown en route to a 4-1 decision over UNC graduate student Charlie Darracott (0-2).

"I thought that was one of the more solid, I mean, he's had some good wins, but he's been a little wild, right," Gavin said on Keslar. "That match was very solid and technically sound and get some really fundamental stuff going. That was one of the best matches he

No. 18 Panthers redshirt junior Luca Augustine (14-5) and No. 16 Tar Heels seniorJoshua Ogunsanya (8-4) put on an incredible match at 174 pounds.

Augustine got an early takedown and led 4-2 in the third period. Ogunsanya made a takedown, but Augustine perservered, finishing off the match with a last second reversal.

"I thought he wrestled well for the majority of that match," Gavin said on Augustine. "Gave up a takedown trying to jump on his head there and that was not a smart move, but bounced back, he didn't let that get to him and pulled out a win. So another good win against someone that was ahead of him."

No. 13 Pitt graduate student Reece Heller (17-3) and No. 22 North Carolina redshirt senior Gavin Kane (13-6) kept it close at 184 pounds.

Kane took an early 4-0 lead, thanks to a takedown, but Heller would get a takedown in the second period and then a takedown later in the third period. The referees checked twice for an illegal hold and then a late escape, but confirmed both calls and Heller held on for the 7-6 decision after riding time.

This dual, which was Senior Night for Pitt, marked the last one that Heller competed in for Pitt at home, with three strong seasons performing for the fans at Fitzgerald Field House.

"He's been a lot of fun to coach," Gavin said on Heller. "Really likes wrestling. You see now he has a lot of grit and he's developed that over the last couple of years. He's been winning tough matches, which is nice to see, especially at this point of the season."

Heller had nothing but great things to say about his team after the defeat and that he'll miss wrestling in front of the great Pitt fans in the future.

"The win, obviously it meant a lot," Heller said. "It was super gritty. You want to put on a show for the fans, but, maybe make it a little easier on myself, I don't know, but it was definitely fun. I mean, I freakin' love wrestling here and I love the crowd, the atmopshere is incredible. So, bittersweet way to end it, I'd say."

No. 10 Panthers redshirt sophomore Mac Stout (18-2) put on an excellent performance at 197 pounds, winning a 11-2 major decision vs. Tar Heels redshirt junior Cade Lautt (11-10), which gave the Panthers a 16-13 lead in the dual.

Pitt had to just win their final match, with No. 13 Dayton Pitzer (9-3) going up against UNC redshirt freshman Nolan Neves (9-9) at heavyweight, to take the dual.

Pitzer took an early lead on a takedown, but Neves got two escapes and a takedown himself for a 5-4 lead at the end of the second period.

Neves then dominated Pitzer the rest of the match, with three more takedowns, finishing with a 14-9 decision.

"I don't know. He gave up a takedown, and that's no big deal, but he lost his mind and just started taking terrible shots," Gavin said on Pitzer. "I think that guy got three or four re-attacks off his back shots. It was not good decision making."

North Carolina and Pitt finished on the same points, but North Carolina won on criteria, 17-16.

Criteria one starts with unsportsmanlike conduct on the mat and then criteria two goes off of falls or other disqualifications.

Since neither happened in the dual, it went to criteria three, which is based on team points, with UNC winning that, 52-49.

Pitt will head out on the road for their second dual this weekend, facing No. 14 Iowa State on Feb. 9.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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