For the second straight match, freshman heavyweight Spencer Myers had a chance to step onto the mat and secure a victory for the Terrapin wrestling team.
Myers had let that opportunity slip through his fingers a week ago. But when the Terps hosted North Carolina on Saturday night, Myers delivered.
Down 18-16 entering the final match, Myers dominated the Tar Heels’ Ben Brooks, 12-0, clinching the Terps’ first ACC victory of the season, 20-18.
“This victory is huge for the team, and it was huge for Spencer,” coach Kerry McCoy said. “Our guys wrestled hard, they wrestled tough, and they wrestled with intensity. That’s what we need to do every time.”
The No. 28 Terps (11-4, 1-1 ACC) built a commanding 16-6 lead over the Tar Heels (6-8-1, 1-3) with just three matches left, but North Carolina’s Antonio Giorgio and Zac Bennett recorded pins over the Terps’ Corey Peltier and Christian Boley at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively, giving the Tar Heels an 18-16 lead with just the heavyweight match remaining.
Again, the Terps’ fate was up to Myers. In a similar situation one week ago against No. 23 Virginia Tech, Myers lost his match, allowing the Hokies to come back and defeat the Terps, 18-17. On Saturday, Myers redeemed himself, blanking his opponent to ensure a Terp victory.
“I went out there and still had last week’s match in my head,” Myers said. “But I tried to put that behind me and change a few things up. … I’m back on track now.”
“It was great for [Myers] to go out there and have an opportunity to win it for the team,” McCoy said. “He was kind of beating himself up a little bit after last week, but I told him every day is a new day and you got to go out there and perform.”
For Myers, a two-point victory over a conference rival isn’t enough for the Terps. He’d like the outcome to be a little more lopsided next time.
“We won by two points, but I’d like to see a shutout,” Myers said. “We have a lot we can improve on, and the best thing to improve is pinning every person.”
The Terps will have two weeks off to make those improvements before they face a grueling three days of competition beginning Feb. 11, when they host Virginia next Friday, compete in the Edinboro Open on Saturday in Pennsylvania and then visit American on Sunday. And with two weeks to prepare, McCoy plans to have his team focus on the little things that could make or break the Terps’ season.
“Just know that every little thing counts — every second, every minute of the match,” McCoy said. “If we can do that, even when we’re not wrestling at our best, just imagine what we can do when we are at our best.”
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