HAMPTON, VA – The Johns Hopkins wrestling team split its two matches on the second day of the 41st Annual Virginia Duals at the Hampton Coliseum on Saturday.  The Blue Jays topped fourth-seeded Davis & Elkins, 27-21, in the consolation semifinals before dropping a narrow 28-21 decision to third-seeded Liberty in the third-place match.

Against the Senators
The Blue Jays trailed 16-10 after five bouts, but won four the final five to score the 27-21 come-from-behind win against the Division II Senators.
 
The senior duo of Dominick Reyes (165) and Joe Paul (174) turned the 16-10 deficit into a 17-16 lead as Reyes topped Wiley Houser, 11-4, and Paul added a 15-5 major decision of Brad Galassi one bout later.
 
The Senators, who had used a pair of early pins to grab the 16-10 lead, got a technical fall from Michael Schneider at 184 to go up 21-16, but the Blue Jays' Wil Shirber scored a stunning double-leg takedown and pin in the final 15 seconds at 197 and senior Hank Behaeghel secured Hopkins' spot in the consolation final with a 11-2 major decision victory over Josh Sanders.
 
The Blue Jays' other two wins in the tight victory came from Brent Lorin (125) and Yosef Ellis-Rech (141).  Lorin opened the match with a 16-3 major decision victory, while Ellis-Rech won by forfeit.
 
Against the Flames
One day after dropping a 25-17 tournament-opening match against the Flames, the Blue Jays nearly pulled off a stunning rally before Liberty held on for a 28-21 victory.
 
After Lorin opened the match with a tough 5-3 victory over Dante Minnino, the Flames won three straight bouts with two wins by fall and one by major decision to quickly turn the 3-0 deficit into a 16-3 lead.
 
The 16-3 lead was gone as quickly as it was built as the Blue Jays got back-to-back first-period pins from Chris Roybal at 157 (2:31) and Reyes at 165 (0:49) to pull within 16-15 and Paul gave Hopkins a 21-16 lead when he pinned Ethan Martin 54 seconds into the second period.
 
The Flames rallied to win the final three bouts with a Blake Barrick pin at 184 giving them a 22-21 lead that Josiah Murphy (197) and Jefferey Allen (285) were able to build on with wins by decision to account for the 28-21 final.
 
 
Reyes Rolls On, Sets School Record for Career Pins.
Reyes extended his school-record winning streak to 40 with his two wins on the day.  He also broke the Johns Hopkins career record for pins with his first period fall against Liberty.  He now has 36 pins in his career and ran his career record to 102-24, including a perfect 16-0 this season.
 
A Good Trip Home
Competing just over an hour from where he grew up in Prince George, Virginia, Paul completed a perfect weekend with his wins by major decision and pin today.  He went 4-0 on the weekend with all four of his wins earning bonus points for the Blue Jays with two technical falls on Friday to go along with the wins by major and fall today.  He improved to 23-6 on the year with his effort in his home state.
 
What's Next
The Blue Jays will return to action on Friday, January 20 when they welcome Elizabethtown to Goldfarb Gymnasium for the teams' annual Battle of the Blue Jays.
 
Johns Hopkins-27, Davis & Elkins-21
125 – Brent Lorin (JHU) maj. dec. Nick Ammirati (D&E), 16-3 (4-0)
133 – Vin Scollo (D&E) pin Bryant Bailey (JHU), 3:29 (4-6)
141 – Yosef Ellis-Rech (JHU) win by forfeit (10-6)
149 – Craig Cook (D&E) pin Jack Albin (JHU), 4:33 (10-12)
157 – Noah Tarr (D&E) maj. dec. Chris Roybal (JHU), 9-1 (10-16)
165 – #3 Dominick Reyes (JHU) dec. Wiley Houser (D&E), 11-4 (13-16)
174 – Joe Paul (JHU) maj. dec. Brad Galassi (D&E), 15-5 (17-16)
184 – Michael Schneider (D&E) tech. fall John Libby (JHU), 19-4 (17-21)
197 – Will Shiber (JHU) pin Garrett Eddy (D&E), 6:49 (23-21)
285 – Hank Behaeghel (JHU), major dec. Josh Sanders (D&E), 11-2 (27-21)
 
Liberty-28, Johns Hopkins-21
125 – Brent Lorin (JHU) dec. Dante Minnino (LU), 5-3 (3-0)
133 – Logan Robertson (LU) maj. dec. Bryant Bailey (JHU), 12-4 (3-4)
141 – Garrett Good (LU) pin Yosef Ellis-Rech (JHU), 3:39 (3-10)
149 – Brandon Ahlemann (LU) pin Jack Albin (JHU), 2:56 (3-16)
157 – Chris Roybal (JHU) pin Thomas Waddy (LU), 2:31 (9-16)
165 – #3 Dominick Reyes (JHU) pin David Over (LU), 0:49 (15-16)
174 – Joe Paul (JHU) pin Ethan Martin (LU), 3:54 (21-16)
184 – Blake Barrick (LU) pin John Libby (JHU), 6:22 (21-22)
197 – Josiah Murphy (LU) dec.  Will Shiber (JHU), 12-5 (21-25)
285 – Jefferey Allen (LU) dec. Hank Behaeghel (JHU), 4-1 (17-25)