Jan. 31, 2010
MADISON, Wis.; January 31, 2010 - The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, ranked No. 13 nationally, picked up three key wins over ranked opponents to roll to a Big Ten dual meet win at No. 12 Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions won six of ten bouts to post a convincing 22-15 win.
Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) got Penn State off to a solid start as the 12th-ranked Lion got an 11-3 major over Wisconsin's Drew Hammen at 125. The Badgers countered with a technical fall win at 133, taking a brief 5-4 lead. But head coach Cael Sanderson's crew opened up the flood gates with three straight wins to lead 16-5 heading into intermission. Senior Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.) upset yet another ranked wrestler, posting a strong 5-4 win over No. 20 Cole Schmitt at 141. The victory was Lynch's third in Big Ten action, all over ranked opponents.
Lynch's win then set up All-American Frank Molinaro's (Barnegat, N.J.) thrilling 6-5 win over No. 2 Kyle Ruschell at 149. Molinaro, ranked No. 5, used a four-point move in the first period to grab the win. Senior All-American Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) then pinned UW's Greg Burke at 157 to give Penn State a 16-5 lead heading into intermission.
Wisconsin snapped the Lion win streak as No. 1 Andrew Howe posted a hard-fought 7-2 win over No. 8 Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) at 165, cutting the Nittany Lion lead to 16-8. Wisconsin then got a decision at 174 to cut Penn State's lead to 16-8. Senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) answered with a solid 2-0 win over No. 16 Travis Rutt to give Penn State a 19-11 lead with two bouts remaining. Wisconsin got a major from No. 8 Trevor Brandvold at 197 before sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) posted a convincing 4-0 win over Wisconsin's Eric Bugenhagen at heavyweight. The final decision gave Penn State the 22-15 road victory.
Wisconsin won the battle of takedowns 21-13, but Penn State won the battle of bonus points 4-3. Wisconsin entered the dual with six ranked wrestlers and the Nittany Lions came away with three wins against them. 3
Penn State is now 10-5-1 on the year, 2-2 in Big Ten duals while Wisconsin falls to 5-8, 1-2 in the Big Ten. Penn State returns to action next Friday when Northwestern invades Rec Hall for a 7 p.m. match-up. Single event tickets will cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Group sales are available once again for groups of 15 people or more. Group prices are $4 in advance and $5 walk-up. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC?(1390 AM) or 3WZ (95.3 FM) and on www.GoPSUsports.com as well. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
#13 Penn State 22, #12 Wisconsin 15
Madison, Wis. - January 31, 2010
| 125: #12 Brad Pataky PSU maj. dec. Drew Hammen UW, 11-3 | 4-0 |
| 133: #8 Tyler Graff UW tech. fall Bryan Pearsall PSU, 23-8 (TF; 6:44) 3 | 4-5 |
| 141: Adam Lynch PSU dec. #20 Cole Schmitt UW, 5-4 3 | 7-5 |
| 149: #5 Frank Molinaro PSU dec. #2 Kyle Ruschell UW, 6-5 3 | 10-5 |
| 157: #5 Cyler Sanderson PSU pinned Greg Burke UW, WBF (6:39) 3 | 16-5 |
| 165: #1 Andrew Howe UW dec. #8 Dan Vallimont PSU, 7-2 3 | 16-8 |
| 174: Brendan Ard UW dec. Justin Ortega PSU, 6-4 3 | 16-11 |
| 184: #13 David Erwin PSU dec. #16 Travis Rutt UW, 2-0 3 | 19-11 |
| 197: #8 Trevor Brandvold UW maj. dec. David Crowell PSU, 11-3 3 | 19-15 |
| 285: #11 Cameron Wade PSU dec. Eric Bugenhagen UW, 4-0 3 | 22-15 |
Attendance: 1,342
Records: Penn State 10-5-1 (2-2 Big Ten); Wisconsin 5-8, (1-2 Big Ten)
Up Next for Penn State: Home vs. Northwestern, Friday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m.
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.), ranked No. 12 nationally, took on Wisconsin's Drew Hammen at 125. Pataky wasted no time taking Hammen down, gaining control of his shoulders and quickly moving behind the Badger for a 2-0 lead. The Nittany Lion junior then dominated the Badger, building up big riding time edge while forcing Hammen into a stall warning. Pataky cut Hammen loose at the 1:04 mark. With :20 left, Pataky got in deep on a low double but could not finish off the move as Hammen held on to keep the bout close after one period. Leading 2-1, Pataky chose down to start the second period and quickly reversed Hammen for a 4-1 lead. Looking to notch bonus points, Pataky rolled Hammen over for two near fall points and then rode Hammen on to carry the 6-1 lead with 3:14 in riding time into the final period. Hammen chose down to start the third period and was cut loose by Pataky. The Nittany Lion junior then countered a Hammen shot, moved behind him and notched another takedown to lead 8-3 after cutting the Badger loose. Needing one more takedown for a major, Pataky drove through a low single and upped his lead to 10-3 at the :32 mark. With the riding time point assured, Pataky needed to ride the Badger out to get the major and he did just that, posting the 11-3 major to put Penn State up 4-0.
133: Penn State freshman Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) faced off against Badger Tyler Graff, who was ranked No. 8 at 133. Graff got the bout's first takedown seconds in, cut Pearsall loose and added a second takedown at the 2:00 mark to lead 4-2. The eighth-ranked Badger added two more takedowns during the opening period to lead 8-3 with 1:11 in riding time. Graff chose neutral to start the second period and quickly took Pearsall down for fifth time and a 10-4 lead after cutting Pearsall loose. Graff notched another takedown and turned Pearsall to his back for three near fall points to lead 15-4 with 2:12 in riding time after two periods. Pearsall chose down to start the third period and Graff cut him loose, making the score 15-5. Graff, looking for a technical fall, quickly added two more takedowns to up his lead to 19-6 with 1:20 left. He cut Pearsall loose to a 19-7 score and then forced him into a stall warning. One more takedown gave Graff a 21-8 lead and with just :16 left on the clock, the Badger got the tech fall with a final takedown. The 23-8 (6:44) technical fall put the Badgers on top 4-3.
141: Senior Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.), fresh off defeating the 5th-ranked 141-pounder in the nation two nights earlier, met yet another ranked foe as he battled No. 20 Cole Schmitt of Wisconsin. Schmitt got the bout's first takedown, gaining control of Lynch's right ankle and finishing off the move early in the opening period. But Lynch continued his impressive wrestling, working out of Schmitt's grasp and reversing the ranked Badger to tie the bout at 2-2 with just over 1:00 left. Lynch then rode Schmitt for the remainder of the period to keep the bout tied 2-2 heading into the middle stanza. Lynch chose down to start the second period and steadily worked his way free for 3-2 lead at the 1:18 mark. The Nittany Lion senior then countered a soft Schmitt shot, grabbed the Badger's leg and tripped him to the mat for his first takedown and a 5-2 lead. The Lion senior then put together another dominating ride, keeping Schmitt down for the rest of the period to lead 5-2. Schmitt chose down to start the third period but once again, Lynch was able to gain quick control and began looking for a turning combination. Lynch rode Schmitt long enough to build up a solid riding time edge, but Schmitt then reversed the Lion to cut the lead to 5-4. With just seconds left in the bout, Schmitt tried to turn the Lion, but Lynch was able to fight off any combination and posted an outstanding 5-4 win, his second over a ranked grappler in three days and third of the Big Ten season.
149: All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 5 at 149, met No. 2 Kyle Ruschell in one of the dual's marquee match-ups. Molinaro scored in a flurry at the midway point, countering a Ruschell shot, moving underneath him and getting the bout's first takedown. The Lion sophomore quickly turned Ruschell to his back for two near fall points but Ruschell scrambled out and around Molinaro for a reversal, cutting Molinaro's lead to 4-2. The Nittany Lion escaped at the :40 mark for a 5-2 lead and action resumed in the center circle. Neither man scored over the final seconds and Molinaro took that lead into the second stanza. The Lion sophomore chose down to start the period but could not work himself free of a strong Ruschell ride. The Badger senior was able to control Molinaro for the period, forcing Molinaro into one stall warning and leaving the period with 2:17 in riding time. Trailing by three, Ruschell chose down to start the final period and quickly reversed the Nittany Lion to cut the lead to 5-4. Molinaro escaped to a 6-4 lead but Ruschell had a guaranteed riding time point. Molinaro shot low on Ruschell, but the Badger was able to force a stalemate at the :39 mark. The Nittany Lion sophomore shot one more time, gaining control of Ruschell's leg but once again a stalemate was called with :21 left in the bout. Molinaro shot one more time and managed to fight off a late Ruschell counter to kill the clock. The 6-5 win over the second-ranked Badger put Penn State up 10-5.
157: Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), ranked No. 5 at 157, took on Wisconsin's Greg Burke. Sanderson turned a low single into a first takedown, steadily working Burke to the mat for a 2-0 lead. Burke escaped after a short Sanderson ride, but Sanderson was able to turn a scramble into a second takedown with just :11 left to lead 4-1 with :53 in riding time after one period. Burke chose down to start the second stanza but fell victim to a strong Sanderson ride. The Nittany Lion All-American was able to control the Badger long enough to build up a 1:13 riding time edge before cutting him loose. Sanderson then drove through a low shot for a third takedown and a 6-2 lead. Another cut led to a quick low double and an 8-3 Sanderson lead at the :39 mark. Sanderson cut Burke loose at the :25 mark and scrambled for another takedown, turning the trick with :09 left to lead 10-4 with 2:21 in riding time at period's end. He then chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to an 11-4 lead. Sanderson quickly took Burke down again to up his lead to 13-5 after cutting the Badger loose. A seventh takedown allowed Sanderson to find the pinning combination he was looking for. The Lion senior turned Burke to his back, finishing off a cradle and getting the fall at the 6:39 mark. The pin gave the Nittany Lions a 16-5 lead heading into the intermission.
165: Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 8 at 165, met top-ranked Andrew Howe of Wisconsin in another highly anticipated match-up. Each man took quick opening salvos, but neither wrestler was able to connect early on. Vallimont then got in deep on Howe's right thigh, but the nation's No. 1-ranked 165-pounder was able to step back out of bounds and force a reset with 2:00 left in the period. Vallimont continued to shoot, but Howe was able to block off every scoring attempt and kill the opening period's clock. Tied 0-0, Vallimont chose down to start the second period. Howe was able to maintain control of the Nittany Lion for 1:20 before Vallimont escaped to a 1-0 lead. But Howe quickly got in on a single and worked Vallimont to the mat for a takedown and a 2-1 lead with :26 left. A Howe ride-out allowed the Badger to lead 2-1 with 1:46 in riding time heading into the final period. Howe chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead. Howe was able to control the tempo over the course of the third period, with neither man scoring until Vallimont was called for fleeing the mat. Howe added a second takedown and went on to post a 7-2 win with the riding time point. The decision cut Penn State's lead to 16-8.
174: Freshman Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) took to the mat at 174 to square off against UW's Brendan Ard. Ard got the bout's first takedown, working through a low single to take a 2-0 lead with 1:32 left in the opening period. Ortega worked free for an escape and a 2-1 deficit and action resumed in the center circle. The Lion freshman got in deep on Ard's left leg but could not finish off the move and action moved out of bounds with :19 left. Trailing 2-1, Ortega chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. Ortega continued to battle Ard, looking to wear him down and creating an opening for himself. Neither man notched a takedown in the middle period, however, and the bout moved to the final period tied 2-2. Ard chose neutral to begin the final period. Ard took Ortega down for a 4-2 lead with 1:40 left but locked his hands in the process, making the score 4-3. Ortega quickly escaped to tie the score at 4-4 with riding time not an issue at this point. With time winding down, the battled for position for a final takedown. But each wrestler was able to fight off the other's move until Ard was able to quickly step around Ortega with just :04 left to get a final takedown and snare a 6-4 win. The decision cut Penn State's lead to 16-11.
184: Senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio), ranked No. 13 at 184, battled No. 16 Travis Rutt in yet another meeting of ranked opponents. Erwin countered a Rutt shot with :40 left, nearly turning it into the bout's first takedown. But the Badger was able to force a stalemate and keep the bout scoreless after three minutes of action. Erwin chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Like the first period, neither wrestler was able to break through the other's defense, allowing Erwin to hold the slim 1-0 lead heading into the final period. Rutt chose down to start the third period but found himself falling victim to a very strong Erwin ride. The Nittany Lion senior was able to maintain control of Rutt long enough to build up a minute-plus of riding time, but he did get called for a first stall warning in the process. Erwin spent the entire period in control of Rutt, riding him out to post a strong 2-0 win and put the Nittany Lions up 19-11.
197: Sophomore David Crowell (Easton, Pa.) got the nod at 197 and met Wisconsin's Trevor Brandvold, who was ranked No. 8 nationally. Brandvold got the first takedown early, taking a 2-0 lead seconds into the bout. He then put together a very strong ride, controlling Crowell for over a minute to lead 2-1. Brandvold added another takedown at the 1:10 mark and controlled Crowell for the rest of the period to lead 4-1 with 2:27 in riding time after three minutes of action. Brandvold chose down to start the middle period and quickly reversed Crowell to lead 6-1. The Nittany Lion sophomore got called for a first stall warning at the 1:20 mark. Crowell escaped but was taken down again to fall behind 8-2 as the period ended. Trailing by six, Crowell chose down to start the final period and escaped to an 8-3 deficit. Brandvold added another takedown and, with a riding time point in hand, was able to ride Crowell out to post an 11-3 major decision. The four points cut Penn State's lead to 19-15.
HWT: Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 11 in the country at heavyweight, met Wisconsin junior Eric Bugenhagen. Neither wrestler found any scoring chances over the first three minutes and action went to the second stanza tied 0-0. Bugenhagen chose down to start the second stanza but could not work himself free of a dominating Wade ride. The Nittany Lion sophomore worked hard from the top position, nearly turning Bugenhagen early in the period and forcing the Badger into a first stall warning. Wade was not able to turn Bugenhagen for back points but the ride-out allowed him to keep the bout scoreless and build up a 2:00 riding time edge. Wade chose down to start the final period and was cut loose by Bugenhagen to a 1-0 lead. Bugenhagen got in deep on Wade's right leg, looking to score with :30 left. But Wade steadily worked his way around the Badger, getting the takedown for himself. A ride out and a riding time point gave the Nittany Lion a strong 4-0 win and give Penn State a 22-15 win.