Jan. 10, 2015
By Matt Allibone, GoPSUSports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- It's been quite a start to 2015 for the Penn State wrestling team.
A week after the Nittany Lions rang in the new year with a fifth-straight Southern Scuffle title, they kept their momentum going when their dual meet slate resumed on Friday against Indiana in Rec Hall.
Against the Hoosiers, Penn State was dominant from start to finish, winning eight of nine duals (Indiana forfeited the 125-pound match) to improve to 6-0 with a 42-3 victory.
After needing an overtime victory in the final match of their previous dual against Virginia Tech on Dec. 19 to pull out a win, the Lions had a much easier time on Friday. Of their eight victories, five came by bonus points, including three pins (not including the forfeit).
"We're happy and healthy and that's what we want getting through each match," head coach Cael Sanderson said. "We're just looking to make progress and building our confidence and our belief in ourselves. Scoring points will do that for you."
Not only did Penn State register its second highest point total of the season on Friday, it also got standout performances from both the veterans and the newcomers in its lineup.
After the dual started at 165 pounds, senior and two-time All-American Matt Brown got the ball rolling with a second period fall against No. 19 Nate Jackson at 174. One match later, freshman Matt McCutcheon picked up the first dual pin of his career, turning Jake Masengale just 55 seconds into the 184-pound match to give the Lions a 12-3 lead three bouts into the night.
As good as McCutcheon was, fellow freshman Kade Moss was equally impressive. Entering Friday with just one career dual win, the 141-pounder put on a clinic for three periods against Sean Brown, racking up four takedowns before finally pinning the Hoosier at the 5:43 mark.
"I don't go out there looking for the [pin], but I really want to work on my shots," Moss said. "It felt good though. There's nothing more fun than being able to perform in front of a big Penn State crowd."
Like McCutcheon, Moss picked up the first dual meet pin of his career with the win. More importantly, it was the South Jordan, Utah, native's first victory in Rec Hall.
While he is still young, Moss will be a crucial competitor for the Blue and White this season, as there is a void at the 141-pound spot with All-American Zain Retherford taking a redshirt.
Still, Sanderson has been pleased with the freshman's continued development. According to the coach, Moss will keep progressing if he focuses on improving his technique.
"His shots are getting better," Sanderson said. "We saw that at the scuffle. He's getting to the legs quickly. Everything is improving and that's obviously what we want to see. [His] attitude's been good from the start and he's scoring points."
Even with a second conference win now under their belts, the Lions have no time to get complacent. They face their toughest task of the season to date on Sunday, when they take on third ranked Ohio State on the road.
With a lineup that includes eight top-ten ranked wrestlers, the Buckeyes are built similarly to the team's Penn State has produced the past four years.
Though it will be a challenge for sure, Sanderson is confident that Friday's match proved his team is ready to put up a fight.
"I'm really excited about [Sunday]," Sanderson said. "Ohio State has a great team. One of the most talked about teams coming into the season...so we'll see where we're at and how we respond."
Alton Wins in Rec Hall Return After Penn State's first two home duals introduced fans to some new faces in the Lions' lineup, Friday marked the return of a familiar face to the Rec Hall mat.
Dylan Alton, a senior and 2012 All-American, made his dual meet debut against the Hoosiers after missing the beginning of the season due to off-season shoulder surgery.
Taking on junior Alex Gregory, the 157-pounder won the riding time battle and picked up a key escape at the beginning of the second period for a 2-0 win in the last bout of the night.
"It's good to be back and every match I wrestle I feel I'm getting better," Alton said. "Once I [got him] on the bottom I felt pretty confident."
Having not competed at home since the final dual of last season against Clarion on Feb. 23, it was a special night for Alton, who has battled injuries the past two seasons.
Making the moment more significant for him was the response the Nittany Lion faithful. Although it was the last match of the dual and Penn State was comfortably ahead 39-3, the majority of the 6,200 in attendance remained seating and cheered on the fifth-year grappler.
"It was a good feeling knowing the fan's want to watch me wrestle," Alton said. "[Going last changes my routine] a little bit. You just got to know when to warm up and get ready. Just the same things."