UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Nittany Lions started their 2018-19 campaign right where they left off last season. Top-ranked Penn State cruised past No. 24 Kent State 52-3.
"I think overall the team just looked really good," head coach Cael Sanderson said. "I think our two freshmen looked great, the guys at different weight classes they looked very good. (Anthony) Cassar looked big and strong, Bo (Nickal) looked big and strong. Shak looked good down a weight. We have a lot to look forward to."
New Faces Shine
Penn State's two new starters flourished on the mat in their first appearance in the Penn State singlet.
Down 3-0 in the dual, freshman Roman Bravo-Young took on Kent State's Tim Rooney at 133 pounds. In the first period, Bravo-Young fended off a shot from Rooney then after a stalemate powered Rooney to the mat for his first takedown with a double leg takedown. Bravo-Young was relentless on top, tilting Rooney for four near fall points and coming close to a pin in the final 30 seconds of the first period. Bravo-Young finished the first with a 6-0 lead in his first dual for Penn State.
After adding three more points thanks to a takedown and a penalty point via a stall on Rooney, Bravo-Young came out firing in the third. It only took him 31 seconds in the third period to bring Rooney down and tilt him for the fall in 5:31.
"It was really fun," Bravo-Young said. "A little nervous at first at first with the jitters and stuff, but once I got going it was fun."
Bravo-Young is excited for his first win, but knows he still has more work to do.
"This is what they do at Penn State so I just have to follow them," Bravo-Young said. "I don't really get too confident I just have to keep moving forward."
After a dominant Nick Lee technical fall win at 141 pounds over Cory Simpson in 3:44 Jarod Verkleeren debuted at 149 pounds.
Quickly in the bout Simpson body locked Verkleeren, but Verkleeren fended off a throw and stuck Simpson for the pin. Verkleeren collected the pin in just 1:20.
"He body locked me and then I sent it," Verkleeren, a red-shirt freshman, said. "Full send to his back. I'm pretty comfortable up there so I took the risk."
Other Notes
Only three bouts made it to third, with just one of those making it to completion – Devin Schnupp and Jake Ferri at 125 pounds.
The Nittany Lions recorded 31 takedowns to just four Golden Flashes takedowns. Devin Schnupp was the lone Nittany Lion to be taken down.
Jason Nolf recorded six takedowns before pinning Joe Andrassy just 2:29. That wasn't the only match that ended in the first period - four total Nittany Lions wrapped up first period finishes with the quickest coming from a Shakur Rasheed pin of Andrew McNally.
Seven matches ended with Nittany Lion pins and two via technical fall from Penn State wrestlers.
Up Next
Penn State makes their way to Philadelphia for the Keystone Classic beginning at 10 a.m. on Sunday Nov. 18.
