Virginia Tech redhsirt senior Ryan Blees scored an opening round upset of #7 Kaden Gfeller of Oklahoma State 3-2 in the first round of the NCAA championships Thursday morning in Pittsburgh. Blees, 16-14 and seeded twenty-sixth entering the tournament, controlled the first period with heavy hands but neither wrestler was able to score and the period ended 0-0.  Gfeller and Blees traded escapes in the second and third periods before Blees found a leg with :30 seconds left in the bout.  Blees put Gfeller in danger multiple times in that ensuing scrable, but Gfeller was able to scramble his way out of a two count each time and regulation ended 1-1.  In the overtime period, Blees committed to a hard single leg and finished for the 3-1 victory.

Blees will wrestle Iowa’s #10 Pat Lugo in tonight’s round of sixteen.  The two have yet to wrestle this season.