Virginia Tech @ Missouri

Missouri Men's Wrestling edged Virginia Tech Men's Wrestling 22-17 at the University of Missouri in Columbia on Jan. 2, 2024. The Tigers collected the bonus points that decided the dual, while the Hokies answered with a big bonus of their own to keep the meet close.

A pair of early bonus wins for Missouri set the tone for the scoreboard. Kade Moore recorded a fall over Sam Latona, earning six team points, and Keegan O'Toole rolled to a 20-4 technical fall against Connor Brady for five more. Virginia Tech refused to fold: Mekhi Lewis answered with a 15-0 technical fall of his own, netting five team points and keeping the Hokies in contention late.

The decisive stretch came when Missouri converted more bonus opportunities in the upper weights. Clayton Whiting’s 11-3 major decision and Rocky Elam’s 11-0 major decision added four team points apiece and pushed Missouri past the 20-point mark. Those bonus-heavy victories, combined with the earlier fall and tech fall, were the difference in a dual that featured multiple bonus outcomes on both sides.

Missouri’s depth for bonus wins ultimately delivered the five-point margin, while Virginia Tech’s lone tech fall from Lewis made the final score tighter than it might have been. The meet highlighted how bonus points can swing a dual, with a handful of high-value results deciding the day in Columbia.