Feb. 3, 2001

The University of North Carolina wrestling team gave head coach Bill Lam's his 350th career win Saturday night as the Tar Heels beat Atlantic Coast Conference rival Virginia 24-12 at Carmichael Auditorium. With the victory, the Tar Heels improve to 5-4 on the season, 2-0 in the ACC, while Virginia falls to 4-6, 1-2 in the ACC.

As the result of a random draw, the heavyweight match was the first of the night, and Carolina's Matt Kenny was able to take an 8-4 decision over Ryan Painter to put the Tar Heels ahead 3-0. Chris Collins followed with a 17-2 technical fall on Ryan Stewart at 125 pounds and Carolina was out to a quick 8-0 lead.

At 133 pounds, Brad Byers defeated Joe Alexander, 11-9, but needed every second of the match to get the victory. Byers trailed 7-9 with less than 10 seconds remaining but was able to score a takedown and a two-point near fall in the final seconds to take the match.

Mike Booth lost a hard-fought 3-2 decision to Virginia's Bob Seidel at 141 pounds, but at 149 pounds, Tar Heel JohnMark Bentley took 10-3 decision to give Carolina a 14-3 advantage. With the victory, Bentley improves to 22-1 for the season.

Carolina's Chris DiGuiseppe followed Bentley's win with a 3-1 decision over Don Carlos-Clauss at 157 pounds. Virginia's Greg Francesca then beat Jake Reynolds by medical forfeit in the 165-pound match to pull the Cavaliers to within eight at 17-9, but a Corey Bell 10-1 major decision at 174 pounds put the Tar Heels ahead 21-9 with only two matches remaining.

At 184 pounds, Nick Richmond fell to the Cavalier's Jimi Massey, 11-6, but Carolina's Clint Osborn got the decision in the final match of the night, using a five-point second period to defeat Zach Friday, 6-1.

The Tar Heels return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 6, when they travel to Durham to face the Duke Blue Devils at 7:30 p.m. The Cavaliers are back on the mat on Sunday, Feb. 4, when they travel to Norfolk, Va., to face Old Dominion.

North Carolina 24

Virginia 12

125 -- Chris Collin (UNC) tech. fall. Ryan Stewart, 17-2 (8:00)

133 -- Brad Byers (UNC) dec. Joe Alexander, 11-9

141 -- Bob Seidel (UVA) dec. Mike Booth, 3-2

149 -- JohnMark Bentley (UNC) dec. P.J. Bory, 10-3

157 -- Chris DiGuiseppe (UNC) dec. Don Carlos-Clauss, 3-1

165 -- Greg Francesca (UVA) med. forf. Jake Reynolds

174 -- Corey Bell (UNC) maj. dec. Brian Muir, 10-1

184 -- Jimi Massey (UVA) dec. Nick Richmond, 11-6

197 -- Clint Osborn (UNC) dec. Zach Freday, 6-1

Hwt. -- Matt Kenny (UNC) dec. Ryan Painter, 8-4