Jan. 10, 2016
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ââ'¬" No. 1 Penn State (8-0, 3-0 B1G) dominated home standing Indiana on Sunday, closing out a Big Ten road weekend with another lopsided victory. Penn State rolled to a 34-8 win in Bloomington and remains perfect on the year. The Nittany Lions won eight of ten bouts, six of which brought bonus points.
The dual began at 157 where red-shirt freshman Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 3, dominated Jake Danishek. Nolf tallied nine takedowns on his way to a 21-8 major with over 3:00 in riding time. Red-shirt freshman Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.), fresh off pinning the Midlands Champion two days earlier, dominated Bryce Martin in an 11-2 major at 165 to put Penn State up 8-0 early.
Red-shirt freshman Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 174, suffered a 7-6 upset loss to No. 11 Nate Jackson in the dual's most anticipated bout. Nickal got caught for back points on a counter throw by the Hoosier junior and then had a third period takedown waived off. Indiana was penalized one team point during the bout.
Red-shirt freshman Devon Van Cura (Washington, N.C.) got the call at 184 and picked up his first dual win as a Nittany Lion. Van Cura notched a late takedown to post the 5-3 win over Matt Irick and put Penn State up 8-2. Senior All-American Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 1 at 197, picked up his second first period pin of the weekend, turning Jake Masengale for a fall at the 2:50 mark. The fall, the 19th of McIntosh's career, put Penn State up 17-3 at the midway point of the dual.
Indiana senior Garret Goldman pinned Lion true freshman Jan Johnson (Mohnton, Pa.) at heavyweight, getting the fall at the 5:35 mark. Senior All-American Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 4, rolled to a 6-2 win over Elijah Oliver and the Lions led 20-8 with three bouts remaining.
Senior All-American Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 4 at 133, posted a 14-3 major over Alonzo Shepherd with 2:00 in riding time. Junior All-American Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 13 at 141, returned to action with a strong 11-3 major over Cole Weaver with 2:39 in riding time. Sophomore All-American Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, closed out the lop-sided win by pinning Luke Blanton at the 2:43 mark in the first period. Retherford's fall, his seventh of the year, gave Penn State the 34-8 victory.
Penn State is now 8-0, 3-0 in the Big Ten while Indiana falls to 4-1, 1-1 in the conference. Penn State won the takedown battle 27-4 and rolled to ten bonus points off two pins and four majors.
The Nittany Lions host Nebraska on Friday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall in their next action. With the remaining Rec Hall duals already at seated capacity, a limited number of Standing Room Only tickets (SROs) can be purchased for each of those duals as well. Rec Hall SROs may only be purchased by calling 1-800-NITTANY and are $15 per person. A limited number of tickets to Penn State's second BJC Dual, Feb. 5 vs. Ohio State, are available but disappearing fast. BJC Dual tickets are $16 for adults and $8 for youth (12-and-under) and can be purchased via www.GoPSUsports.com/accountmanager or by calling 1-800-NITTANY
Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. The 2015-16 Penn State wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
#1 Penn State 34, Indiana 8
January 10, 2016 ââ'¬" Bloomington, Ind.
157: #3 Jason Nolf PSU maj. dec. Jake Danishek IU, 21-8 / 4-0
165: Shakur Rasheed PSU maj. dec. Bryce Martin IU, 11-2 / 8-0
174: #11 Nate Jackson IU dec. #1 Bo Nickal PSU, 7-6 / 8-2*
* Indiana penalized one team point for unsportsmanlike conduct
184: Devon Van Cura PSU dec. Matt Irick IU, 5-3 / 11-2
197: #1 Morgan McIntosh PSU pinned Jake Masengale IU, WBF (2:50) / 17-2
285: Garret Goldman IU pinned Jan Johnson PSU, WBF (5:35) / 17-8
125: #4 Nico Megaludis PSU dec. Elijah Oliver IU, 6-2 / 20-8
133: #4 Jordan Conaway PSU maj. dec. Alonzo Shepherd IU, 14-3 / 24-8
141: #13 Jimmy Gulibon PSU maj. dec. Cole Weaver IU, 11-3 / 28-8
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU pinned Luke Blanton IU, WBF (2:43) / 34-8
Attendance: 453
Records: Penn State 8-0, 3-0 B1G; Indiana 4-1, 1-1 B1G
Up Next for Penn State: home vs. Nebraska, Friday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m. in Rec Hall
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
157: Red-shirt freshman Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 3 at 157, met Jake Danishek. Nolf set the tempo early and broke through for a takedown at the 1:21 mark after forcing Danishek into an early stall warning. He then put together a strong ride, working his way to a ride out to lead 2-0 with 1:21 in riding time after the opening stanza. Nolf chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. He then pulled Danishek's head to the mat and controlled his legs for another takedown and a 5-0 lead. Nolf cut Danishek loose and then once again used shoulder control to notch another takedown, upping his lead to 7-1. Danishek chose down to start the third period and Nolf cut him loose to a 7-2 score. He then countered a shot for another takedown and cut. The Lion went on to total xx takedowns in the third period 165: Red-shirt freshman Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.) took on Indiana freshman Bryce Martin. Rasheed fought off two swift and sold scoring attempts by Martin to keep the bout scoreless early and then turned his first single leg into a takedown and a 2-0 lead at the 1:57 mark. Rasheed then controlled the action from the top position, working his way to over a 1:00 riding time edge. Rasheed then turned Martin for four back points to up his lead 6-0 at the :25 mark and rode Martin out to carry that lead, plus 1:56 in time, into the second period. Martin chose neutral to start the second period, took a quick shot only to have Rasheed deftly counter it and notch another takedown to up his lead to 8-0 at the 1:30 mark. A stall point gave Rasheed a 9-0 lead as the Lion freshman continued a dominant ride for the remainder of the period. Leading 9-0 with a clinched riding time point, Rasheed chose down to start third period and quickly escaped to a 10-0 lead. Rasheed worked his way to a high single, forcing a scramble at the :45 mark. Martin scrambled to a last second takedown but 3:34 in riding time gave Rasheed the 11-2 major.
174: Red-shirt freshman Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 174, battled No. 11 Nate Jackson in the dual's most anticipated bout. Nickal battled Jackson, a junior, evenly for the opening two minutes before shoulder tossing the Hoosier to the side and slipping behind him for a takedown and an early 2-0 lead. Jackson reversed Nickal to tie the bout and then, as Nickal tried to counter turn the Hoosier for a throw, put Nickal to his back for four back points and a 6-2 lead after the first period. Nickal chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 6-3 score. Nickal shot throughout the second period and forced Jackson into a stall warning but could not break through for a score and trailed 6-3 after two. Jackson neutral to start the third period. Nickal quickly wrapped the Hoosier at the waist, lifted him off the mat and took him down for a takedown to cut the lead to 6-5 at the 1:50 mark. Nickal cut him loose to a 7-5 score and connected on a low single, taking him down and initially getting a takedown call. The official waived the takedown off and action moved out of bounds with :50 left. Penn State challenged the call of no takedown but the call was confirmed. Nickal picked up a point on a second Jackson stall to trail 7-6 with :25 left. He looked to have Jackson taken down again only to have no call once more and time ran out with Jackson posting the 7-6 upset victory. Indiana was docked a team point for unsportsmanlike during the bout.
184: Red-shirt freshman Devon Van Cura (Washington, N.C.) faced off against Matt Irick at 184. Irick got in on a low single at the 2:00 mark but Van Cura was able to force a stalemate and keep the bout scoreless. The duo battled evenly for the remainder of the period and the bout moved to the second tied 0-0. Irick chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Van Cura tried to connect on a single leg with :30 left but Irick fought the move off and the bout moved to the third period with Van Cura trailing by one. The Lion freshman chose down to start the third and quickly escaped to a 1-1 tie. Irick countered a Van Cura shot and took a 3-2 lead with :50 on the clock. Van Cura reversed Irick but the Hoosier called for an injury timeout. Van Cura was not credited with the reversal and instead he was awarded with an escape and trailed 3-2. He chose down on the restart and escaped to a 3-3 tie with :30 left. Van Cura muscled his way through a high single and lifted Irick off the mat and down for a takedown and a 5-3 lead to seal the victory. The 5-3 win was Van Cura's first dual win as a Nittany Lion.
197: Senior All-American Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 1 at 197, took on Jake Masengale. McIntosh took a 2-0 lead midway through the opening period and then dominated the action from the top position. He steadily worked his way into control of Masengale, turning him for back points and then adjusted himself for a quick first period pin. The fall, the second of the weekend for McIntosh and the 19th of his career, came at the 2:50 mark.
285: True freshman Jan Johnson (Mohnton, Pa.) met Indiana senior Garret Goldman. Goldman scored quickly, taking Johnson down and nearly locking up a cradle. Johnson fought off the turning attempt and trailed 2-0 early in the bout. Johnson escaped to a 2-1 score at the 1:27 mark but Goldman had 1:16 in riding time. Leading 2-1 after one, Goldman chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead. He then gained control of Johnson's leg and picked up his second takedown of the match, upping his lead to 5-1. Goldman controlled the action from the top position until Johnson seemingly escaped on the edge of the mat. The official did not award the escape, forcing a reset. Johnson did escape on the reset, cutting the lead to 5-2 at the :25 mark. Trailing 5-2 with Goldman owning 2:17 in riding time, Johnson chose down. Johnson gave up a point on cautions and then escaped to a 6-3 score. Goldman then tripped Johnson to the mat
125: Senior All-American Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 4 at 125, met talented Hoosier freshman Elijah Oliver. Megaludis was taking a shot on Oliver midway through the period and his head caught the Hoosier in the chin, causing a concussion protocol break. Oliver was deemed okay to continue and action resumed scoreless at the 1:23 mark. Megaludis took Oliver down and led 2-1 after a quick Oliver escape, a lead he carried into the second period. The Lion senior chose down to start the second stanza, got a point for a third Oliver caution, and then escaped to a 4-1 lead. The Lion continued to shoot the Hoosier off the mat and picked up another point on a second Oliver stall. Megaludis led 6-1 after two thanks to yet another Oliver stall and Oliver chose down to start the third period. The Hoosier escaped to a 6-2 score and made it through another concussion protocol to continue the match. Megaludis pressed the Hoosier for the rest of the period and while not breaking through for a takedown, coasted to a 6-2 victory.
133: Senior All-American Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 4 at 133, battled senior Alonzo Shepherd. Conaway opened up a 2-0 lead with a takedown midway through the opening period. He then controlled the action from the top position and worked his way into a potential cradle. Conaway locked up underneath the Hoosier but could not roll Shepherd over for the fall and a reset was called at the :20 mark. Leading 2-0 with 1:29 in riding time, Conaway chose down to start the second period. He escaped and then ended the period with a takedown and ride out to lead 5-0 with 1:23 in riding time after two periods. Shepherd chose neutral to start the third period and Conaway made him pay for the decision. The Lion senior took Shepherd down, cut him loose and took him down once more to lead 9-1 at the 1:00 mark. Conaway cut him loose once more and blew through another high shot to up his lead to 11-2 with :30 on the clock. One more cut and takedown gave Conway the 14-3 major with 2:00 in riding time.
141: Junior All-American Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 13 at 141, tangled with freshman Cole Weaver. Gulibon quickly took Weaver down to a 2-0 advantage and then cut him loose right away. He picked up a second takedown and then nearly picked up two quick back points. Leading 4-1 at the 1:09 mark, Gulibon built up a 1:09 time edge before cutting Weaver loose to a 4-2 score. Gulibon added one more takedown to lead 6-2 with 1:20 in after one period. Gulibon chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 lead. Gulibon controlled the action for the rest of the period and carried that lead with 1:13 in time after two. Weaver chose down to start the third period and Gulibon controlled the action for a minute-plus, picking up a stall point, before cutting Weaver loose to an 8-3 lead. Gulibon took Weaver down at the :30 mark and rode the Hoosier out to post the 11-3 major with 2:39 in riding time.
149: Sophomore All-American Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, took on Luke Blanton. Retherford dominated the action from the start, forcing Blanton backwards out of bounds and then blowing through a high double after a reset to lead 2-0 early. He then turned Blanton for two near fall points and scrambled out of a potential reversal to lead 4-0 with 1:24 on the clock. Retherford worked Blanton's head and shoulders for the next minute-plus before turning the Hoosier for a quick first period pin. Retherford got the fall, his seventh of the year and the 11th of his career, at the 2:43 mark.