UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team sent 12 wrestlers to Binghamton's Bearcat Open on Sunday, Nov. 13, in Binghamton, N.Y. The Nittany Lions had two-thirds of their participants place at the event.
Connor Pierce led the Nittany Lion charge with a runner-up finish at 149. Pierce went 4-0 overall, including a pin and two majors. He lost his match in the finals but it was to a non-collegiate entrant, thus not counting on his overall record. Pierce's second-place finish was one of eight for Penn State among its 12 participants.
Konner Kraeszig took third at 174. He went 3-1 overall with a major. His lone loss was a semifinal setback to No. 11 Chris Foca of Cornell. Lucas Cochran placed third at 197. Cochran posted a 2-1 mark and had another win against a non-collegiate grappler.
David Evans had an outstanding day at 141. After dropping his first match, Evans reeled off five straight wins to place fifth. He went 4-1 officially (one win against a non-collegiate entry) with three pins and a major. True freshman Levi Haines took fifth at 157. Haines went 3-1 with two majors against collegiate entries and 2-0 vs. non-college grapplers. Donovon Ball also placed fifth, wrestling at 184. He went 4-1 with a major plus a non-collegiate win. His lone loss was a 3-0 decision to No. 7 Jonathan Loew of Cornell.
Joe Lee advanced to the fifth-place bout at 165. Because Lee wrestled six times, he was unable to wrestle for fifth place. Five of Lee's bouts were against non-collegiate entries and he ended his day with a 1-0 mark (plus a 4-1 record against non-collegiate competition). Levko Higgins also took sixth, competing at 197. Higgins went 3-1 overall (plus a 1-1 mark vs. non-collegiate wrestlers).
Karl Shindledecker went 2-2 overall at 125, picking up a pin and a major in the process. Brian Borden picked up a win at 157, a first period fall in consolation action. Jack Kelly picked up a victory at 174, a third period fall in consolation action. Marco Vespa also competed at 125.
Top-ranked Penn State (1-0, 0-0 B1G) returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 20, at the Army Black Night Open in West Point, N.Y.
The 2022-23 Penn State Wrestling season is presented 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.
