Posted January 13, 2018 at 08:54 AM | Updated January 13, 2018 at 08:57 AM
By James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
“I go over this all week, and I thought it would be a 5-5 split. Sure enough, it was. We were able to pull out a good team win,” Rutgers coach Scott Goodale said. “One we kind of needed. … It’s important to get out of here with wins.”
Here are five other takeaways from Rutgers' win over the Tar Heels:
'HUGE' WIN FOR DELVECCHIO
The ranked battle between Eleazar DeLuca and Troy Heilmann at 149 pounds was the premier bout of the dual meet, but 133-pounder Scott DelVecchio had his own bout against another ranked competitor, rallying for a solid 6-2 win over No. 20 Zach Sherman.
“Scotty’s win was huge. That was a huge win against a really good kid, a freshman who’s having a great year,” Goodale said. “That was a big part of the match.”
DelVecchio, ranked 16th, gave up a takedown at the end of the second period to fall behind 2-1. But he was able to ride Sherman out for the entirety of the third period, getting four back points in the process.
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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Friday’s dual meet was another example of the energy Rutgers gains when it starts at 125 pounds and can hit teams with No. 2-ranked Nick Suriano and DelVecchio, back to back.
“It’s good because he brings good energy. Obviously he’s going to pound the kid, so the crowd is all riled up,” DelVecchio said. “You’re not coming out to a cold crowd. They’re ready for you to do your thing. It’s the energy, it’s the vibe in the whole RAC. It’s good.”
LEWIS ROLLING
Richie Lewis is settling in nicely at 165 pounds. The 12th-ranked redshirt senior posted another impressive win, beating North Carolina’s Troy McClure 15-5. Lewis has won seven of his last eight bouts at 165 after moving up from 157.
“I’m adjusting now. It’s a little bit easier to challenge myself,” Lewis said. “It was really hard to push myself at 157, doing a big weight cut.”
Lewis won a 70-kilogram gold medal at the Under-23 World Championships late last year. He said he feels he’s seeing stronger competition at 165.
“I think there’s more world-class guys at 165. Obviously they’re bigger, so they’re going to be a little bit stronger, a little bit better,” he said. “I’m looking to challenge myself and become the best wrestler I can be. I plan wrestling for a while, so it’s best for my career.”