BLOOMINGTON, Ind.; January 27, 2019 – No. 1 Penn State (9-0, 5-0 B1G) took down home standing Indiana (4-9, 1-5 B1G) to close out a Big Ten road swing through the Hoosier state on Sunday. Penn State downed Indiana 35-9 in Bloomington to remain unbeaten on the year.
Penn State won all but one off the contested bouts (giving up a forfeit loss at 133), including one Nittany Lion's first-ever Big Ten dual victory.
The dual began at 184 where junior Francisco Bisono (Hauppauge, N.Y.) stepped in at 184 for No. 3 Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.) for the second time this weekend. Bisono was once again tough but dropped a hard-fought 5-1 decision. Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 197, made short work of IU's Jake Kleimola. Nickal turned an early scramble into a cradle and a fast fall, getting the pin at the 0:58 mark to put Penn State up 6-3.
Senior Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.), ranked No. 4 at 285, downed Indiana's Fletcher Miller in an 11-5 win, rolling up over 2:00 in riding time to put Penn State up 9-3. Sophomore Devin Schnupp (Lititz, Pa) thrilled the many Lion faithful at the dual by picking up his first Big Ten dual meet victory in a 5-2 win over Indiana's Liam Cronin. True freshman Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.) was injured in the first period of his match at Purdue Friday night and did not wrestle. Indiana's Garrett Pepple won by forfeit at the weight and Penn State led 12-9 at intermission.
Sophomore Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, got Penn State started on the right foot in the second half. He posted a 4-0 takedown edge in front of many home-state fans to roll to a 13-3 major over Kyle Luigs. Redshirt freshman Jarod Verkleeren (Greensburg, Pa.) once again stepped in for No. 11 Brady Berger (Mantorville, Minn.) at 149 and notched a 6-4 win over Fernie Silva to give the Lions a 19-9 lead.
Senior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, picked up his second first period of the weekend with a fall over Breyden Bailey at the 2:46 mark. The fall was the 56th of Nolf's career. Junior Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, also picked up his second pin of the weekend. The Lion got his tenth pin of the year with a fall over Bryce Martin at the 1:20 mark. Junior Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 1 at 174, closed out the dual with a dominating 12-4 major over IU's Jake Covaciu. Penn State won eight of ten bouts (and eight of nine contested) to roll to the 35-9 dual meet victory.
Penn State dominated the dual, rolling up a 21-4 takedown advantage. The Nittany Lions grabbed 11 bonus points off three pins (Nickal, Nolf, Joseph) and two majors (Lee, Hall). Nickal's pin was his 11th this year and the 52nd of his career. Nolf has 11 this year and 56 for his career. Joseph's pin was his tenth of the season.
The Nittany Lions have now won 54-straight dual meets dating back to the end of the 2014-15 season. Sanderson's Lions won their last dual of that campaign, went 16-0 in 2015-16, went 14-0 in 2016-17 and went 14-0 in 2017-18. Penn State is now 9-0 overall, 5-0 in Big Ten action, while Indiana falls to 4-9, 1-5 B1G. The Nittany Lions return to Happy Valley for the 2019 BJC Dual when Michigan invades the 16,000-seat venue on Friday, Feb. 1, for a 7 p.m. dual.
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.
#1 Penn State 35, Indiana 9
January 27, 2019 – Bloomington, Ind.
184: Norman Conley IND dec. Francisco Bisono PSU, 5-1 0-3
197: #1 Bo Nickal PSU pinned Jake Kleimola IND, WBF (0:58) 6-3
285: #4 Anthony Cassar PSU dec. Fletcher Miller IND, 11-5 9-3
125: Devin Schnupp PSU dec. Liam Cronin IND, 5-2 12-3
133: Garrett Pepple IND won by forfeit 12-9
141: #7 Nick Lee PSU maj. dec. Kyle Luigs IND, 13-3 16-9
149: Jarod Verkleeren PSU dec. Fernie Silva IND, 6-4 19-9
157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU pinned Breyden Bailey IND, WBF (2:46) 25-9
165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU pinned Bryce Martin IND, WBF (1:23) 31-9
174: #1 Mark Hall PSU maj. dec. Jake Covaciu IND, 12-4 35-9
Attendance: 1,962
Records: Penn State (9-0, 5-0 B1G); Indiana (4-9, 1-5 B1G)
Up Next for Penn State: home vs. #6 Michigan, Friday, Feb. 1, 7 p.m. (2019 BJC Dual)
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
184: Junior Francisco Bisono (Hauppauge, N.Y.) stepped in for No. 3 Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.) at 184 and took on junior Norman Conley. Conley scored first, using a strong high double to take Bisono down to an early 2-0 lead. Conley maintained control for the next minute before Bisono escaped to a 2-1 score. Bisono nearly connected on a single leg with 1:00 left in the period but Conley was able to counter, getting his second takedown to lead 4-1. Bisono was unable to escape and trailed 4-1 after one. Conley chose down to start the second period. Bisono controlled the action from the top position, however, working Conley's riding time down below 1:00. Bisono continued with his strong ride for the remainder of the period, while still trailing 4-1, he completely wiped out Conley's time edge. Bisono chose down to start the third period but Conley was strong on top. The Hoosier controlled Bisono long enough to work his riding time edge back over the 1:00 mark. Conley finished the bout on top and, with 1:58 riding time, posted the 5-1 win.
197: Senior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 197, met Indiana's Jake Kleimola. Nickal controlled the action in the center circle, forcing a scramble that allowed him to work his way into a takedown. After a second or two of adjustment, Nickal deftly locked up a cradle and notched the fast fall at the 0:58 mark. The pin was Nickal's 11th of the year and the 52nd of his career.
285: Senior Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.), ranked No. 4 at 285, took on senior Fletcher Miller. Cassar worked the middle of the mat against the Hoosier big man and bulled through a nice high shot for his first takedown at the 1:52 mark. Miller escaped after a short ride and action resumed neutral with Cassar leading 2-1. Cassar stepped back from a slight Miller shot and then zipped in for a low shot to Miller's left ankle, finishing off the takedown to lead 4-1. He rode Miller out and carried that lead, with :57 in riding time, into the second period. Miller chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 4-2 score. Cassar blew through a high shot at Miller's waist for a third takedown and led 6-2 with 1:00 left in the middle period. The Lion senior worked for a turning combination but Miller was able to keep his stomach flat to the mat for the rest of the period. Leading 6-2 with over 2:00 in time, Cassar chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 lead. He continued to press the pace, forcing Miller backwards before connecting on another strong double leg at the 1:00 mark, upping his lead to 9-2 with a clinched riding time point. Miller escaped with :20 left and then managed a late takedown to keep Cassar from notching the major. Cassar added a late escape and the riding time point (2:40) and rolled to the 11-5 win.
125: Sophomore Devin Schnupp (Lititz, Pa.) met Liam Cronin. The duo battled evenly in the middle of the mat over the first minute-plus. Schnupp took a slight low single at the 1:20 mark but Cronin was able to step back from the Lion's efforts. Schnupp looked to control the tempo, taking a handful of shots over the final 1:30 but Cronin's defense was strong. Tied 0-0 after one, Schnupp chose down to start the second period. The Lion sophomore tried to roll out of control but action moved out of bounds, forcing a reset with 1:22 left in the period. The Lion sophomore sued the same move at the 1:00 mark, forcing a scramble that ended in a Schnupp reversal and a 2-0 lead at the :25 mark. He also picked up a point on a Cronin locked hands during the scramble and led 3-0 with :15 on the clock. Trailing 3-0, Cronin chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 score. Schnupp continued to shoot, forcing a scramble in front of the Hoosier bench that ended with the Lion sophomore picking up a takedown to lead 5-1. Cronin rolled out of Schnupp's control on the reset and the Lion led 5-2 with :35 on the clock. The Lion sophomore staved off a late Cronin flurry of shots and walked away with his first Big Ten dual victory, a 5-2 decision.
133: True freshman Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.), ranked No. 13 at 133, suffered a first period injury two nights earlier in the road trip at Purdue and did not wrestle. Indiana's Garrett Pepple got the forfeit victory (not a loss for Bravo-Young).
141: Sophomore Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, took on Hoosier Kyle Luigs. Lee worked Luig's shoulders down early in the bout and finished with a low single to a takedown and a 2-1 lead at the 2:30 mark. He quickly added a second takedown and led 4-2 before a minute had passed. Lee fought through Luig's defense for a third takedown wit 1:00 on the clock and began looking to turn the Hoosier. Lee finished on top and led 6-2 with 1:19 in riding time after one. Luigs chose down to start the second period and Lee controlled the action once again. The Lion sophomore clinched the riding time point with a full second period rideout and led 6-2 with 3:19 in time after two. Lee chose down to start the third period and quickly reversed Luigs to up his lead to 8-3. He immediately took Luigs down again and turned him for two back points with 1:00 on the clock. Leading 12-3, Lee finished on top with 4:45 of riding time to roll to a 13-3 major.
149: Redshirt freshman Jarod Verkleeren (Greensburg, Pa.) once again got the nod at 149 for No. 11 Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn.) and took on Fernie Silva. Silva connected on a quick shot off the whistle that Verkleeren was able to step away form. The Lion freshman worked for shoulder control on the edge of the mat but Silva was able to keep the bout scoreless midway through the opening period. Verkleeren took a high single with 1:20 left and tripped Silva to the mat to take a 2-1 lead. The period finished neutral and Verkleeren led by one after one. Silva chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. He then worked his way behind Verkleeren for a takedown and a 4-3 lead after a quick Lion escape with 1:30 on the clock. The early period flurry was the only scoring of the middle stanza and Verkleeren trailed 4-3 after two. The Lion chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 4-4 tie. Verkleeren looked to counter Silva's shots by controlling his shoulders off the move, but Silva was able to fight off each Lion counter effort. Verkleeren connected on a solid single with :30 left and steadily worked his way to a takedown at the :18 mark to take a 6-4 lead. Verkleeren finished with a rideout and posted the 6-4 win.
157: Senior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, took on Breyden Bailey. As he did two nights earlier at Purdue, Nolf moved in quickly. The Lion tripped Bailey to the mat :40 into the bout and finished off the takedown for an early 2-0 lead. Nolf controlled the action off a resets and moved himself into position to turn Bailey's shoulders to the mat for four near fall points and a 6-0 lead. Nolf tried another turn, but Bailey was able to scramble out of trouble. Nolf's offense was relentless as he quickly tripped the Hoosier to the mat for a second takedown and an 8-1 lead. Nolf cut Bailey loose at the :25 mark and then quickly locked his shoulders, tossed him to the mat, and picked up his second first period pin of the weekend, this one at the 2:46 mark.
165: Senior Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, faced senior Bryce Martin. Joseph scored quickly, taking Martin down to lead 2-0 less than :15 into the bout. He worked for a turning combination on the reset and locked up a cradle with 1:45 to wrestle. The Lion needed little time after that, getting his second pin of the weekend at the 1:23 mark.
174: Junior Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 1 at 174, battled Hoosier Jake Covaciu. Covaciu took an early shot and gained control of Hall's ankle, but the Lion seamlessly rolled though the move and took a 2-1 lead with a sweet counter takedown. Hall paced the middle of the mat for the next minute and nearly connected on a high single with :20 on the clock. Covaciu was able to defend the effort and the bout moved to the second period with Hall leading 2-1. Hall chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead. Hall worked the center of the mat, forcing Covaciu into a stall before taking him down for a 5-1 lead with :40 left in the period. Hall finished off the period with a rideout and led 5-1 with :50 in time after two. Covaciu chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 5-2 score. Hall fought off a Covaciu shot and forced a reset with :57 left to wrestle. He then skipped behind the Hoosier for another takedown and a 7-3 lead after cutting him loose with :45 on the clock. Hall secured the major with two takedowns in the final :25 seconds and, with 1:20 in riding time, posted the 12-4 major.
