North Carolina
Nebraska
Tar Heels Test No. 4 Huskers But Fall Short, 24-15
February 14, 2009 | Wrestling
Feb. 14, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Seniors Justin Dobies and Vincent Ramirez were victorious in their final collegiate matches in Chapel Hill, and North Carolina battled No. 4 Nebraska to the bitter end Saturday, but the Cornhuskers emerged with a 24-15 victory at the Smith Center. The Tar Heels (12-8) also picked up a pin from No. 15 Nick Stabile and a decision from Ben Fiacco in their home finale.
Nebraska (17-2-1) used a pair of major decisions, a technical fall and a UNC forfeit at 133 to earn its second win of the night after blanking UNC Greensboro earlier.
Dobies, a heavyweight from Garfield Heights, Ohio, closed the match with his first win over a ranked opponent this season - a 3-2 decision against No. 19 Tucker Lane. Dobies picked up a first-period takedown and escaped early in the third to claim victory. He improved to 26-6 on the season with the win, which was the 106th of his career. Dobies needs just one more victory to move into a tie for ninth on the Tar Heels' career list.
Classmates Keegan Mueller and Daniel Llamas joined Dobies, and Ramirez, who was victorious at 141 pounds, in Senior Day ceremonies before the match.
Nebraska jumped out to a 9-0 lead thanks to a 5-3 decision by Andy Pokorny over Nick Shields at 125 pounds and the forfeit by the Tar Heels at 133. Shields rallied to grab a brief advantage at 125 before Pokorny scored a takedown as time expired in the third period to lock up the two-point win.
Highlighted by Stabile's pin, the Tar Heels took the next two bouts to knot the score at nine. The 20th-ranked Ramirez put Carolina on the board with a 10-3 decision over Curtis Salazar at 141. The Durham senior picked up two takedowns and two near falls to claim his 27th win of the season against just seven losses.
Stabile, who notched his fifth pin of the season, needed just 2:47 to put the Huskers' Robert Sanders on his back. The Lenhartsville, Pa., product jumped out to an 8-2 lead before ending things with the pin. Stabile moved to 24-8 with the victory.
Unbeaten and ranked No. 3, Jordan Burroughs put Nebraska back in front with his second technical fall of the night at 157. Carolina's 20th-ranked Thomas Scotton was tough early, but Burroughs pulled way in the third for a 24-9 victory at 6:57. Sixth-ranked Stephen Dwyer followed with a 10-2 major against the 17th-ranked Mueller for the Huskers to push the lead to 17-9.
In his first action since Jan. 23, junior Fiacco picked up UNC's third win of the night with a 3-2 decision against Andy Johnson, trimming the Nebraska advantage to just five points. Fiacco, who improved to 14-13 on the season with the win, scored the lone takedown of the match in the first period and escaped in the second for the difference.
No. 11 Vince Jones downed Llamas, 13-5, for a major at 184, and No. 2 Craig Brester followed with a 9-3 decision against No. 17 Dennis Drury to lock up the match for the Huskers before Dobies was victorious at heavyweight in the final match of the night.
The Tar Heels close the dual season Thursday against Anderson University and Newberry College in Newberry, S.C.
#4 Nebraska 24, North Carolina 15
Weight - Result (Team Score)
125 - Andy Pokorny (NEB) dec. Nick Shields (UNC), 5-3 (NEB 3-0)
133 - Matt Vacanti (NEB) wins via forfeit (NEB 9-0)
141 - #20 Vincent Ramirez (UNC) dec. Curtis Salazar (NEB), 10-3 (NEB 9-3)
149 - #15 Nick Stabile (UNC) pins Robert Sanders (NEB), 2:47 (TIED 9-9)
157 - #3 Jordan Burroughs (NEB) tech fall #20 Thomas Scotton (UNC), 24-9, 6:57 (NEB 13-9)
165 - #6 Stephen Dwyer (NEB) major dec. #17 Keegan Mueller (UNC), 12-2 (NEB 17-9)
174 - Ben Fiacco (UNC) dec. Andy Johnson (NEB), 3-2 (NEB 17-12)
184 - #11 Vince Jacobs (NEB) major dec. Daniel Llamas (UNC), 13-5 (NEB 21-12)
197 - #2 Craig Brester (NEB) dec. #17 Dennis Drury (UNC), 9-3 (NEB 24-12)
HWT - Justin Dobies (UNC) dec. #19 Tucker Lane (NEB), 3-2 (NEB 24-15)
#4 Nebraska 43, UNC Greensboro -1
Weight - Result (Team Score)
125 - Andy Pokorny (NEB) dec. Mitchell Johnson (UNCG), 4-2 (NEB 3-0)
133 - Matt Vacanti (NEB) pins Casey Boyle (UNCG), 1:18 (NEB 9- -1)*
141 - Curtis Salazar (NEB) wins via forfeit (NEB 15- -1)
149 - Robert Sanders (NEB) dec. Ben Wilmore (UNGG), 7-3 (NEB 18 -1)
157 - #3 Jordan Burroughs (NEB) tech fall Andrew Saunders (UNCG), 25-9, 6:40 (NEB 22- -1)
165 - Alex Ward (NEB) dec. Victor Hojilla (UNCG), 8-6 (NEB 25- -1)
174 - Andy Johnson (NEB) pins Brett Miller (UNCG), 2:49 (NEB 31- -1)
184 - #11 Vince Jacobs (NEB) dec. Mikal McKee (UNCG), 5-4 (NEB 34- -1)
197 - #2 Craig Brester (NEB) pins Jeremy Cannon (UNCG), 0:52 (NEB 40- -1)
HWT - #19 Tucker Lane (NEB) dec. Joe Sheffield (UNCG), 9-4 (NEB 43- -1)
*UNC Greensboro deducted one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct
Players Mentioned
