HAMPTON, Va. -- The Elizabethtown College wrestling team won both its duals to open the 2023 Virginia Duals at the Hampton Coliseum on Friday. The Blue Jays dispatched Davis & Elkins easily before taking down No. 23 Averett for their second win of the day and second win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season. Four wrestlers won both matches for Etown on the day.

Elizabethtown (8-3) had no trouble with Davis & Elkins as whole. The Blue Jays won 8 of the 10 weight classes to pile up 38 points and beat the Senators, 38-9. Ethan Liptzin got Etown going with his 6-0 decision at 125. Braden Schuyler won by forfeit at 133, as did Shane Strausser at 149, and Dorian Gonzalez at 157.

Zach Rupp secured his fastest pinfall of the season in just 46 seconds that made it 15-0.

Brian Schneider and Ganon Smith both posted shutout major decisions as neither wrestler surrendered a single point in their match. Will Davis added the final three points at 184 with a narrow 4-3 decision.

Elizabethtown was down early to 23rd-ranked Averett, 6-0, but battled back and jumped in front. Rupp won by fall for the second time on Friday and his fifth pin of the season. Strausser won, sudden victory, to make it 9-6, after he beat Hai Siu, ranked 7th in the recent D3wrestle.com and NWCA Division III rankings. It was the senior's second win over a ranked opponent this year.

A tech fall for the Cougars at 157 put them back in front, but Schneider and Smith got the Blue Jays back on top. Schneider won for a second time by major decision, this time 13-0, and finished the day without giving up a single point to either opponent he faced. His wins were his team-leading 21st and 22nd wins of the season. Smith won by decision, 7-5, to make it 16-11 for Etown.

Two wins by decision put Averett ahead by one, 17-16, with Dylan Waller's match remaining. The junior came through with a decisive 9-3 decision to lift the Blue Jays to the win, 19-17, to put them 2-0 on the day and at the top of the York River Pool.

Elizabethtown advances to the Gold Bracket, where they will face Glenville State in their first match tomorrow at 1 p.m. The other Gold Bracket matchup features Alvernia and Kutztown.