Pitt
Duke
No. 16 Pitt Bounces Back with Shutout Over Duke
2/1/2025 4:11:00 PM | Wrestling
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt wrestling team got back in the win column with a dominant 42-0 shutout victory over the Duke Blue Devils, Saturday afternoon at the Fitzgerald Field House. The Panthers improved to 9-3 overall this season and 2-1 in ACC contests.
Pitt earned seven bonus point victories en route to winning all 10 bouts, totaling three matches won by major decision, three by a technical fall, and one by a pin. The Panthers were in control of the match as they had 26 takedowns while allowing the Blue Devils to just two takedowns across the 10 matches.
No. 23 Nick Babin (125), Anthony Santaniello (141), and No. 22 Finn Solomon (149) each claimed major decision victories to start the match. Babin earned a 14-0 shutout and recorded over three minutes of riding time in the 125-pound match. In the 141-pound match, Santaniello attacked early with a takedown and a near fall for a 7-0 lead 1:30 into the first period. He added two escapes and another takedown in the next two periods to earn a 12-2 victory. Solomon had two takedowns and three near falls to lead to his 18-6 major decision at 149.
Redshirt sophomore Jared Keslar pinned Nick Tattini in 3:53 to extend the Panthers' lead to 26-0 halfway through the match. Keslar held a 6-1 lead in the first period and looked to get a near fall but couldn't hold on as time expired in the first period.
The Panthers continued the momentum into the upper weight classes as No. 24 Dylan Evans (157), No. 13 Reece Heller (184), and No. 10 Mac Stout (197) all recorded wins by technical fall for the Panthers. Evans held a 3-0 lead after the opening period and used five takedowns to score 15 points in the final 2:31 minutes to secure his second technical fall win of the season. Heller notched his seventh bonus point victory this season and Stout won his 14th straight match, earning bonus points in eight of those matches.
No. 13 Dayton Pitzer closed out the match with a 6-2 decision over No. 29 Connor Barket. Pitzer took the early lead with a takedown in the first period, but Barket worked his way back defensively with two escapes. Pitzer had a reversal early in the third period and was awareded a point for riding time to lead to the 6-2 victory.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return to the Fitzgerald Field House to host No. 18 North Carolina on Feb. 7 for an ACC Friday Night Dual (7 p.m. – ACC Network). The Panthers will celebrate seniors Nick Babin and Reece Heller prior to the start of the match.
No. 16 Pitt 42, Duke 0
125: No. 23 Nick Babin (PITT) maj. dec. Riley Rowan (DUKE), 14-0 (Pitt leads 4-0)
133: Tyler Chappell (PITT) dec. Raymond Adams (DUKE), 8-6 (Pitt leads 7-0)
141: Anthony Santaniello (PITT) maj. dec. Christian Colman (DUKE), 12-2 (Pitt leads 11-0)
149: No. 22 Finn Solomon (PITT) maj. dec. SP O'Donnell (DUKE), 18-6 (Pitt leads 15-0)
157: No. 24 Dylan Evans (PITT) tech. fall Logan Ferrero (DUKE), 19-4 (5:46) (Pitt leads 20-0)
165: Jared Keslar (PITT) fall Nick Tattini (DUKE) (3:53), (Pitt leads 26-0)
174: No. 17 Luca Augustine (PITT) dec. Gaetano Console (DUKE), 5-4 (Pitt leads 29-0)
184: No. 13 Reece Heller (PITT) tech. fall David Hussey (DUKE), 17-2 (5:28) (Pitt leads 34-0)
197: No. 10 Mac Stout (PITT) tech. fall Kwasi Bonsu (DUKE), 18-3 (3:31) (Pitt leads 39-0)
285: No. 13 Dayton Pitzer (PITT) dec. No. 29 Connor Barket (DUKE), 6-2 (Pitt wins 42-0)
Attendance: 1160
Players Mentioned
