Chalk up another win for UNC over Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, as the 13th-ranked Tar Heel wrestling team defeated the Blue Devils 23-16 on Friday night to clinch a share of this year’s ACC regular season dual meet title.

UNC improves to 12-7 in dual matches this year, with a 4-1 conference record–good enough to split the regular season crown with NC State.

Duke won two of the night’s first three matches to take a 6-4 lead on the scoreboard, before UNC won the next three. A pair of five-point technical falls from heavyweight Cory Daniel and 125-pounder Joe Heilmann began the streak, before a six-point pin from Gary Wayne Harding at 133 pounds put the Tar Heels in full control of the proceedings.

A big-time showdown at 149 pounds saw No. 7 Mitch Finesilver defeat No. 4 Austin O’Connor of UNC by a score of 6-4, but by that point Duke was too far behind in the team score to mount much of a challenge.

The teams then split the final two matches of the evening, sealing the deal for the Tar Heels.

“I couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” UNC head coach Coleman Scott said after the win. “We faced our fair share of adversity this season, but we never quit. You saw that tonight. These guys deserve to be rewarded for the work they put in this year. You can never take ‘champion’ away. It’s great for our guys, our program, it’s great for everyone who has had a hand in building Carolina Wrestling over the past few years. I can’t tell you how proud I am.”

Up Next:

UNC will now prepare for the ACC Championships on March 9 in Blacksburg.

 

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

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