Feb. 5, 2010
STATE COLLEGE, Pa.; February 5, 2010 - The 11th-ranked Penn State wrestling team used a furious offensive onslaught to down visiting Northwestern 37-10 in a Big Ten wrestling match-up. Nearly 4,000 Nittany Lion fans braved a Nor'easter and a looming blizzard to fill Rec Hall as the Nittany Lions won seven of ten bouts, getting three pins, a forfeit, a technical fall and two majors in the process.
Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.), ranked No. 13 at 125, got a 15-0 technical fall at the 3:14 mark to put Penn State up early, but the Wildcats countered with an Eric Metzler 8-4 win over Lion freshman Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) at 133. Senior Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.) improved to 4-1 in Big Ten duals, receiving a forfeit at 141 to put the Nittany Lions up 11-3.
Sophomore All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 4 at 149, pounced on No. 13 Andrew Nadhir of Northwestern, notching a convincing 9-0 major. All-American Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), ranked No. 7 at 157, then pinned NU's Kevin Bialka to send Penn State into the intermission with a 21-3 lead.
All-American Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 7 at 165 posted a convincing 21-9 major over NU's Robert Kellogg before Northwestern's Brian Roddy got a last second takedown to grab a 5-4 win over Penn State freshman Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) at 174. With Penn State leading 25-6, senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio), ranked No. 11 at 184, pinned Northwestern's Aaron Jones at the 2:27 mark to put the Nittany Lions up 31-6. Northwestern's John Schoen posted a 13-4 major over Clay Steadman (McKean, Pa.) at 197. Nittany Lion sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Pa.), ranked No. 11 at heavyweight, closed out the dual by pinning NU's Marcus Shrewsbury at the 1:29 mark, giving Penn State the convincing 31-10 win.
Winning seven of ten bouts and getting three pins, a technical fall and two majors, Penn State collected a whopping 16 bonus points. The Nittany Lions owned a 20-9 edge in takedowns as well.
Penn State is now 11-5-1 on the year, 3-2 in Big Ten duals. Northwestern falls to 5-9-1, 0-4 Big Ten. The Nittany Lions continue their home stand by welcoming Michigan to Rec Hall on Sunday at 1 p.m. Single event tickets will cost $8 for adults and $5 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.
#11 Penn State 37, Northwestern 10
February 5, 2010 - Rec Hall - State College, Pa.
| 125: #13 Brad Pataky PSU tech. fall Levi Mele NU, 15-0 (TF; 3:14) | 5-0 |
| 133: Eric Metzler NU dec. Bryan Pearsall PSU, 8-4 | 5-3 |
| 141: Adam Lynch PSU win by forfeit | 11-3 |
| 149: #4 Frank Molinaro PSU maj. dec. #13 Andrew Nadhir NU, 9-0 | 15-3 |
| 157: #7 Cyler Sanderson PSU pinned Kevin Bialka NU, WBF (1:51) | 21-3 |
| 165: #7 Dan Vallimont PSU maj. dec. Robert Kellogg NU, 21-9 | 25-3 |
| 174: Brian Roddy NU dec. Justin Ortega PSU, 5-4 | 25-6 |
| 184: #11 David Erwin PSU pinned Aaron Jones NU, WBF (2:27) | 31-6 |
| 197: John Schoen NU maj. dec. Clay Steadman PSU, 13-4 | 31-10 |
| 285: #11 Cameron Wade PSU pinned Marcus Shrewsbury NU, WBF (1:29) | 37-10 |
Attendance: 3,841
Records: Penn State 11-5-1 (3-2 Big Ten); Northwestern (5-9-1, 0-4 Big Ten)
Up Next for Penn State: Home vs. Michigan, Sunday, Feb. 7, 1 p.m.
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Nittany Lion junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.), ranked No. 13 at 125, battled Northwestern's Levi Mele. Pataky notched the bout's first takedown at the 2:22 mark, taking an early lead and then turning the Wildcat for two near fall points to lead 4-0 with 2:00 left. Pataky then turned Mele again, this time for three back points and a 7-0 lead. The talented junior then reset, rolled Mele again and upped his lead to 10-0 with three more back points with 1:00 left in the opening period. Pataky added another three point tilt at the :20 mark, upped his lead to 13-0 and then notched the ride-out to lead 13-0 with 2:26 in riding time after one period. Mele chose neutral to start the second period and Pataky quickly ended the bout with a solid single leg takedown. The 15-0 technical fall at the 3:14 mark put Penn State up 5-0 early.
133: Penn State freshman Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) took on Northwestern senior Eric Metzler at 133. Metzler got the bout's first takedown, using a high double to put Pearsall to the mat at the 1:42 mark. But Metzler locked hands in the process led only 2-1. Metzler, in the process of trying to maintain control of Pearsall during a ride, locked his hands one more time and the bout was tied 2-2 with 1:04 left in the opening period. Pearsall scrambled to escape as the period ended but could not break free. Tied 2-2 with 1:42 in riding time, Metzler chose down to start the second period and quickly reversed Pearsall to take a 4-2 lead. Metzler then spent the rest of the period controlling Pearsall from the top, riding Pearsall out once again to lead 4-2 with 3:04 in riding time at the end of the period. Pearsall chose neutral to start the third period and forced the tempo of the bout, looking for a takedown to get back into the bout. Pearsall got his first takedown at the 1:00 mark, tying the bout at 4-4, but Metzler had riding time assured. Metzler got hit for a first stall warning prior to a reset with :35 left. Pearsall cut the Northwestern senior loose to a 5-4 lead and then pressured the Wildcat for another takedown. Pearsall scrambled for a final takedown but Metzler was able to counter in the final seconds and ice the bout with another takedown. Metzler's 8-4 win cut Penn State's lead to 5-3.
141: Surging Nittany Lion senior Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.) picked up his fourth win in five Big Ten duals by receiving a forfeit at 141. Northwestern junior Bobby Joyce, who was 1-12 on the year, did not weigh in.
149: All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 4 at 149, took on No. 13 Andrew Nadhir in the dual's marquee match-up. The ranked duo traded shots over the first half of the opening period. Molinaro picked up his pace and used a double leg to turn Nadhir to the mat for a 4-0 lead (takedown and two near fall points). The Penn State sophomore then dominated Nadhir for the rest of the period to carry that lead, with :50 in riding time, into the second period. Molinaro chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 5-0 lead. Nadhir tried to finish a single leg at the 1:40 mark, but Molinaro fought off the move and force a reset with 1:12. The Lion All-American scored quickly off the reset with a fast double leg to lead 7-0 with over 1:00 in riding time. Molinaro used a punishing ride for the rest of the period to lead 7-0 with 1:52 in riding time at the end of the second period. Nadhir chose down to start the final period but once again fell victim to a strong Molinaro ride. The Lion junior first clinched the bonus point and then worked to turn Nadhir for back points. Nadhir gave up a stall point and Molinaro then punished the ranked Wildcat for the rest of the period to post a convincing 9-0 major decision. The major put Penn State up 15-3.
157: All-American Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), ranked No. 7 at 157, faced off against Northwestern's Kevin Bialka. Sanderson wasted no time in taking a 2-1 lead with a takedown and cut in the first :20 seconds. The Nittany Lion senior took Bialka down again at the 2:25 mark and then rode the Wildcat long enough to build up a :42 riding time edge before cutting him loose. Sanderson then wrapped locked around Bialka's shoulders, turned him to his back and steadily finished a cradle, getting a pin at the 1:51 mark and sending the Nittany Lions into the intermission with a 21-3 lead.
165: All-American Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), ranked No. 7 at 165, met Wildcat Robert Kellogg. Vallimont wasted no time in taking a 2-1 lead, getting a takedown and cutting Kellogg loose just seconds into the bout. The Nittany Lion senior nearly pinned the Wildcat but potentially dangerous call stopped the action and forced a reset. Vallimont added a second takedown at the 2:20 mark and led 4-2 after a Kellogg escape at the 1:42 mark. The Penn State senior then took the Wildcat down for a third time and tried to roll him, but Kellogg was able to counter the move and reverse Vallimont. A quick Penn State escape gave Vallimont a 7-4 lead at the :32 mark. Leading 7-4, Vallimont chose down to start the second period and promptly reversed Kellogg to up his lead to 9-4. Vallimont cut Kellogg loose at the 1:12 mark, leading 9-5 now. Kellogg got called for a first stall warning and Vallimont then used a single leg off the reset to up his lead to 11-5 with another takedown. A short ride-out gave Vallimont an 11-5 lead with 1:05 in riding time heading into the final period. Kellogg chose down to start the third period and Vallimont allowed him up. He then quickly tripped the Wildcat to the mat to take a 13-7 lead after cutting Kellogg loose again. Kellogg gave up a stall point and then Vallimont used a low single to take a 16-8 lead with 1:00 on the clock. A slick low double allowed Vallimont to move out to an 18-8 lead and secure the riding time point with just :24 left. Looking for one more takedown, Vallimont cut him loose and scrambled for a final score, getting the takedown at the buzzer for a 21-9 major decision. Penn State led 25-3.
174: Freshman Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) took on Brian Roddy of Northwestern at 174. Neither wrestler could find an opening to score early in the match. The duo battled evenly over the opening three minutes and Ortega had to fight off a series of solid Roddy shots over the final :30 to keep the bout scoreless heading into the second stanza. Ortega chose down to start the middle stanza and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Like the first period, hand-fighting dominated the second stanza as each man battled for position. Ortega countered a late Roddy shot, moved around the Wildcat and got the bout's first takedown with :20 left in the bout. Roddy escaped before the period ended and Ortega led 3-1 heading into the final period. Roddy chose down to start the third period and steadily worked his way to a reversal and a 3-3 tie with 1:24 left in the bout. Needing an escape to take the lead, Ortega broke free at the :58 mark to lead 4-3. Ortega did not back down from the Wildcat grappler for much of the final seconds, but Roddy used a fast single leg to work his way to a takedown with just :05 left to steal the 5-4 win. The decision cut Penn State's lead to 25-6,
184: Nittany Lion David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio), ranked No. 11 at 184, squared off against Aaron Jones. Erwin spent the first minute of the bout fighting off a furious takedown attempt by Jones. Erwin countered the move by gaining control of Jones' shoulders and turning him to his back for a quick three point near fall. Steadying himself and resetting, Erwin then moved himself on top of the Wildcat grappler and got the pin at the 2:27 mark. The fall put Penn State up 31-6.
197: Penn State sent sophomore Clay Steadman (McKean, Pa.) into action at 197 to face off with Northwestern's John Schoen. Schoen got the bout's first takedown early, taking a 2-0 lead at the 2:40 mark. Steadman escaped after :23 and action resumed in the center circle with Schoen leading by one. Schoen used a high double to lift Steadman off the mat and get a second takedown at the :12 mark. A short ride out allowed the Wildcat to lead 4-1 with :43 in riding time after the opening period. Steadman chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-2 deficit. Schoen got a third takedown late in the period and rode Steadman out to lead 6-2 with 1:01 in riding time after two periods. Schoen chose neutral to start the third period and used a fourth takedown with 1:10 left to up his lead to 8-3 after cutting Steadman loose. Schoen looked to secure a major with a fifth takedown at the :33 mark, but Steadman was able to escape with :26 left to cut into the lead. Schoen, undeterred, however, got a final takedown with :12 left to post a strong 13-4 major decision.
HWT: Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 11 at heavyweight, took to the mat to meet NU's Marcus Shrewsbury. Wade bolted out to an early 2-0 lead with a double leg takedown on the edge of the mat. The ranked Lion then turned the Wildcat to his back for Penn State's third pin of the match at the 1:29 mark, giving the Nittany Lions a 37-10 win.