Heading into the dual meet versus the Citadel Sunday afternoon, the North Carolina wrestling was prepared to continue moving forward. After a satisfying 24-12 win against Duke earlier in the week, the Tar Heels were looking to build on the performance and have a positive end to the dual meet season.
The meet started off well for the team, as it won three of the first four matches to jump out to a 14-3 lead behind strong performances from lightweights Nathan Kraisser and Troy Heilmann.
“We had our lightweights downstairs, Kraisser and Heilmann,” said associate head coach Cary Kolat. “They did a great job of picking up bonus points for us.”
But after the fast start, the Tar Heels were put in a headlock, as The Citadel went on to win the next five matches en route to a close 19-18 win.
For Kolat, the five losses were a disappointment, but with two of those matches against All-Americans, the main displeasure rested with the remaining three, the 157, 174, and the heavyweight bout.
“It was three matches that we needed to win that we had the better guys in,” he said.
“But our guys didn’t step up and get it done.”
The Tar Heels had one more chance to salvage the meet in the 149 division, with redshirt sophomore Christian Barber, who wrestled The Citadel’s Matthew Frisch, who he wrestled only a few weeks ago in the Reno Invitational. Similar to their previous match, the bout went down to the wire, with Barber eventually succumbing to Frisch 5-2.
For Kolat, he was pleased with the effort, but left dissatisfied with the finer points.
“Barber made some slip ups,” he said. “He’s become a little predictable, we’ve got to up his pace a little more, and we’re working on it, he’s trying hard.”
And while there were other successes for the team, such as senior Brian Bokoski, who filled in admirably for the injured Evan Henderson, the main critique from Kolat was not wrestling toughness, but lack of mental toughness.
“The one thing we have to work on is our mental approach to it,” he said.
“Those guys all know how to wrestle but it’s clearing their mind and getting out there and doing it, and not getting locked up.”
To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.
