Jan. 19, 2018
PSU Photo Gallery I VIDEO: Penn State Downs Purdue in Rec Hall Battle
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (8-0, 4-0 B1G) took care of visiting Purdue (5-4, 0-3 B1G) in its first home dual in over a month. The Nittany Lions handled the Boilermakers 43-6 in front of yet another sold out Rec Hall crowd to remain unbeaten on the year.
Over 6,500 fans watched as Penn State won every contested bout, giving up only one forfeit loss. Penn State did not give up a takedown in the victory and notched four pins to roll over the Boilermakers.
The dual began at 125 where Purdue's Luke Welch received a forfeit victory to give the Boilermakers an early 6-0 lead. Penn State's freshmen 125-pounders were both ill and simply could not compete. Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) got Penn State on the board with an exciting 3-2 win over Boiler Ben Thornton in the dual's first contested bout. True freshman Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, made his Rec Hall debut and did not disappoint. Lee rolled to a 14-4 major over Purdue's Nate Limmex to put Penn State up 7-6.
Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, notched six takedowns in less that :90 and then turned Purdue's Austin Nash at the 1:41 mark to give Penn State a 13-6 lead. The fall was Retherford's 14th of the year. Junior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, turned a quick second period takedown into his 14th pin of the year to give the Nittany Lions a 19-6 lead at intermission.
Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.) ranked No. 1 at 165, got Penn State started in the second half in fine fashion rolling to an 18-3 technical fall at the 5:00 mark over Boilermaker Jacob Morrissey. Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 174, dominated No. 12 Dylan Lydy in one of the dual's marquee match-ups, rolling to an 11-3 major with 1:45 in riding time, giving Penn State a 28-6 lead.
Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, picked up Penn State's third pin with a fall at the 1:55 mark for his 10th pin of the season, putting the Nittany Lions up 34-6 Junior Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.), ranked No. 10 at 197, followed suit and grabbed Penn State's fourth pin of the evening, and his 10th of the year, with a fall over Kobe Woods at the 1:42 mark. Junior Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 8 at 285, faced No. 15 Shawn Streck in another of the dual's most anticipated match-ups. Nevills used solid defense and a third period takedown to walk away with a 4-2 win. Nevills' decision made the final score 43-6 in Penn State's favor.
Penn State dominated the action, posting a 28-0 takedown advantage and picking up 16 bonus points off four pins (Retherford, Nolf, Nickal and Rasheed), a tech fall (Joseph) and two majors (Lee and Hall). The attendance figure of 6,547 marks the 38th straight sellout in Rec Hall and the 41st in the last 43 home duals, including three of five in the Bryce Jordan Center. The win moves Penn State's dual meet win streak to 39 straight, dating back to the 2014-15 season. Retherford now has 14 pins on the year and 50 for his career, just three shy of tying Penn State's all-time record of 53. Nolf also has 14 and 43 for his career, fifth all-time. Nickal has ten this season and 35 for his career, seventh all-time. Rasheed has ten this season as well and 18 for his career. Penn State moves to 8-0, 4-0 in the Big Ten while Purdue stands at 5-4, 0-3 B1G.
The Nittany Lions visit Maryland in two days on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 4 p.m. Penn State's next home event is set for Friday, Jan. 26, against Minnesota. The 7 p.m. dual in Rec Hall will be a BTN live national telecast. With all home dual meets sold out, a limited number of Standing Room Only (SRO) tickets are available to select Rec Hall duals based on availability. Call 1-800-NITTANY for information or to purchase tickets.
The 2017-18 Penn State wrestling season is sponsored by The Family Clothesline. 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. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
#2 Penn State 43, Purdue 6
January 19, 2018 -- Rec Hall -- University Park, Pa.
125: Luke Welch PUR win by forfeit / 0-6
133: Corey Keener PSU dec. Ben Thornton PUR, 3-2 / 3-6
141: #7 Nick Lee PSU maj. dec. Nate Limmex PUR, 14-4 / 7-6
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU pinned Austin Nash PUR, WBF (1:41) / 13-6
157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU pinned Cole Wysocki PUR, WBF (3:45) / 19-6
165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU TF Jacob Morrissey PUR, 18-3 (TF; 5:00) / 24-6
174: #2 Mark Hall PSU maj. dec. #12 Dylan Lydy PUR, 11-3 / 28-6
184: #1 Bo Nickal PSU pinned Max Lyon PUR, WBF (1:55) / 34-6
197: #10 Shakur Rasheed PSU pinned Kobe Woods PUR, WBF (1:42) / 40-6
285: #8 Nick Nevills PSU dec. #15 Shawn Streck PUR, 4-2 / 43-6
Attendance: 6,547 (38th straight Rec Hall sellout, 41st of 43 including 3 of 5 in BJC)
Records: Penn State 8-0, 4-0 B1G; Purdue 5-4, 0-3 B1G
Up Next for Penn State: at Maryland, Sunday, Jan. 21, 4 p.m.
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Penn State's active 125 pounders were both sick and Boilermaker Luke Welch, ranked No. 12 nationally, received a forfeit victory.
133: Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) faced off against Ben Thornton at 133. The duo battled evenly for the first half of the bout before Thornton tried to connect on a low single. Keener quickly fought off the move and action resumed in the center circle. Thornton stepped back from a quick Keener shot and the bout was 0-0 at the :49 mark. Keener nearly scored, stepping around Thornton with :15 left but the Boiler was able to defend the move and the bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Thornton chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. He then got in deep on a single leg and Keener spent the next minute fighting off the move, finally forcing a stalemate at with just :50 on the clock. Keener fought off another solid Thornton shot as the period ended and trailed 1-0 after two periods. Keener chose down to start the third period and quickly rolled out for an escape and a 1-1 tie. Keener got hit for a quick stall and then blazed behind the Boilermaker for the bout's first takedown. Thornton escaped quickly and Keener led 3-2 at the 1:00 mark. Thornton was called for stalling at :45, Keener continued to pressure the Boiler towards the edge of the mat. Thornton was in on a final shot and Keener killed the clock with another whizzer and Keener was able to post the 3-2 win.
141: True freshman Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, made his Rec Hall debut against Purdue's Nate Limmex. Lee fought off a quick Limmex shot and then got in on a high single, finishing it off for the takedown and a 2-0 lead at the 2:10 mark. Lee spent the next :48 working for a turn and building up his riding time edge before cutting Limmex loose to a 2-1 lead. Lee shot low with :15 left and worked his way to a second takedown to lead 4-1 after the opening period. Lee chose down to start the second period, worked his way around Limmex, and picked up the reversal at the 1:30 mark to lead 6-1. He then cut Limmex loose after pushing his time edge to 1:07. Limmex got in on a low single and Lee countered the shot, steadily working his way into a counter takedown for an 8-2 lead after two periods. Limmex chose down to start the third period and escaped to an 8-3 score at the 1:40 mark. Lee picked up another counter takedown and cut Limmex loose to a 10-4 lead at the 1:00 mark. Lee finished off the major with a takedown at the :40 mark, clinching his riding time point. Lee picked up another point on a stall and finished in control and, with 2:27 in riding time to post the 14-4 major.
149: Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, met Austin Nash. Retherford notched three quick takedown and cuts to lead 6-2 after just :45. He added a fourth at the 1:58 mark, cut Nash loose and then picked up a fifth takedown before the midway point of the bout. Retherford notched his sixth takedown and then turned Nash to his back for the quick pin at the 1:41 mark.
157: Junior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, took on Cole Wysocki. The duo battled evenly for a minute before Nolf began working head snaps into control of the pace. Nolf turned a low single leg into a scramble in the middle of the mat and got the takedown to lead 2-0 with 1:05 to wrestle. He steadily worked his way into control of a cradle an spent over a minute trying to get the fall. Wysocki was able to fight off the pin and Nolf led 6-0 after one. Wysocki chose down to start the second period and Nolf let him up. The Lion quickly took him down for a takedown on the edge of the mat and then deftly turned Wysocki's shoulders to the mat for a fall at the 3:45 mark.
165: Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, battled Jacob Morrissey. Joseph scored quickly, taking Morrissey down for an early 2-0 lead right off the opening whistle. He then turned him for a two count and led 4-0 at the 2:15 mark. Joseph cut Morrissey loose to a 4-1 lead at the 1:50 mark and then quickly took him down again to lead 6-1. Morrissey escaped to a 6-2 Joseph lead and the Lion quickly picked up his third takedown with :50 left in the period. Leading 8-2, Joseph chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 9-2 lead. He used arm and leg control to push out to an 11-2 lead with another quick takedown and then picked up a point on a second Morrissey stall. Joseph cut the Boiler loose to a 12-3 score. He took Morrissey down once more and this time turned him to his back for four near fall points as the period ended and posted a dominating 18-3 technical fall at the 5:00 mark.
174: Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 174, took on No. 12 Dylan Lydy. Hall nearly scored at the 1:50 mark with a fast low single but Lydy was able to maintain position and keep the bout scoreless. Hall continued to press, forcing Lydy backwards until picking up the takedown at the :42 mark to lead 2-0. Hall was hit with a locked hands call and led 2-1 after the opening stanza. He chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead. He continued to put Lydy on his heels, forcing the Boilermaker backwards, and finally picking up a first stall warning. Hall countered a slight Lydy shot as the second period ended and led 5-1. Lydy chose down to start the third period and escaped but Hall quickly took him down, and cut him loose, to lead 7-3 with 1:20 to wrestle. Lydy stalled again, giving Hall an 8-3 lead and then a scramble ensued on the Lion logo that ended with a Hall takedown. Leading 10-3 with over 1:00 in time, Hall finished on top to post the 11-3 major.
184: Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, met Purdue freshman Max Lyon. Nickal spent the opening minute setting Lyon up in the middle of the mat. The Nittany Lion junior pressed the action and then turned a high Lion single into a takedown and a 2-0 lead. He then reset, locked up a cradle and turned Lyon to his back for the fall at the 1:55 mark.
197: Junior Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.), ranked No. 10 at 197, took on Kobe Woods. Took the Rasheed quickly the Boilermaker down for a 2-0 lead and then tacked on two back points to lead 4-0 less than :40 into the bout. After a resets, he seemed to turn Woods to his back for back points but got hit for an illegal hold and led 4-2 after a Woods escape. Rasheed used a fast underhook for a quick takedown and then turned Woods to his back for the fall at the 1:42 mark.
285: Junior Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 8 at 285, met No. 15 Shawn Streck. The ranked duo battled evenly for over two minutes, with neither wrestler finding a solid opening to score. The first three minutes ended scoreless and action moved to the second stanza. Streck chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 1-0 lead while Nevills got hit for a stall warning. The Lion junior worked his way in on a low single but could not finish the takedown off and action resumed in neutral with Streck leading 1-0 at the 1:30 mark. Nevills shot low again and Streck countered, forcing a scramble that ended in a stalemate with :30 left in the period. Trailing 1-0, Nevills chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 1-1 tie. The Lion junior continued to shoot low, working for a takedown and the lead. Streck nearly connected on a shot with 1:30 on the clock but Nevills was able to step out of trouble. He then turned a low double into a takedown in front of the Penn State bench to take a 3-1 lead. He was hit with a second stall, giving Streck a point and cutting his lead to 3-2 with 1:10 left. Needing to build up a riding time edge, Nevills worked Streck back to the mat three times to gain the time edge and work the clock down below :25. He then finished off the rideout and, with 1:24 in riding time, posted a strong 4-2 victory.