Penn State Dominates Buckeyes 24-14
UNIVERSITY PARK – No. 1 Penn State (13-0, 8-0 B1G) used relentless offensive tempo to roll to a win over No. 3 Ohio State (9-3, 6-2 B1G) in front of a sold out Bryce Jordan Center crowd on Friday night. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s squad won six of ten bouts en route to the 24-14 victory.
The announced crowd of 15,983 is the second largest crowd in Penn State history (15,996 vs. Pitt on 12/8/13) and the third largest in NCAA history (behind that dual and Iowa’s 42,287 held in Kinnick Stadium this season on 12/13/15).
The dual began at 125 where senior Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 4, met No. 1 Nathan Tomasello. The duo battled evenly for nearly seven minutes before Tomasello notched a last-second takedown to grab a 3-1 win. Senior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 5 at 133, tied the dual at 3-3 with an 8-4 win over No. 10 Johnni DiJulius, roaring back from a first period deficit to post the win.
Junior Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 14 at 141, battled No. 4 Micah Jordan tough before dropping a 6-3 decision, giving OSU a 6-3 lead. Sophomore Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, then made short work of Ohio State’s Sal Marandino with a first period pin at the 2:31 mark to put the Lions up 9-6. Red-shirt freshman Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, then handled No. 11 Jake Ryan to the tune of a 19-6 major to give Penn State a 13-6 lead at intermission.
Junior Geno Morelli (DuBois, Pa.) got the call at 165 and nearly upset No. 2 Bo Jordan. Jordan used a third period takedown to grab a hard-fought 3-2 win and cut Penn State’s lead to 13-9. Red-shirt freshman Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 174, used a dominating 10-point third period to roll to an 11-5 win over No. 14 Myles Martin, putting Penn State up 16-9.
Sophomore Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 9 at 184, controlled No. 13 Kenny Courts for seven minutes, shutting the Buckeye out 4-0 and using a full third period ride-out to total 2:03 in riding time. Senior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 1 at 197, then put up eleven takedowns in a 24-9 tech fall over Josh Fox at the 7:00 mark. At 285, freshman Jan Johnson (Mohnton, Pa.) dropped a 24-9 tech fall to No. 2 Kyle Snyder.
The Nittany Lions are now 13-0, 9-0 in the Big Ten, while Ohio State falls to 9-3, 6-2 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions dominated the dual’s pace, totaling a 26-15 takedown edge. Penn State picked up bonus points off a pin (Retherford), a tech fall (McIntosh) and a major (Nolf). The Nittany Lions now own an 18-12 edge in the all-time series with Ohio State.
Penn State will visit Lehigh for a non-conference dual on Friday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. and then return home for a date with Michigan State in Rec Hall on Saturday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m.
February 5, 2016 – Bryce Jordan Center – University Park, Pa.
125: #1 Nathan Tomasello OSU dec. #4 Nico Megaludis PSU, 3-1 0-3
133: #5 Jordan Conaway PSU dec. #10 Johnni DiJulius OSU, 8-4 3-3
141: #4 Micah Jordan OSU dec. #14 Jimmy Gulibon PSU, 6-3 3-6
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU pinned Sal Marandino OSU, WBF (2:31) 9-6
157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU maj. dec. #11 Jake Ryan OSU, 19-6 13-6
165: #2 Bo Jordan OSU dec. Geno Morelli PSU, 3-2 13-9
174: #1 Bo Nickal PSU dec. #14 Myles Martin OSU, 11-5 16-9
184: #9 Matt McCutcheon PSU dec. #13 Kenny Courts OSU, 4-0 19-9
197: #1 Morgan McIntosh PSU tech fall Josh Fox OSU, 24-9 (TF; 7:00) 24-9
285: #2 Kyle Snyder OSU tech fall Jan Johnson PSU, 24-9 (TF; 4:00) 24-14
Attendance: 15,983 (second largest in Penn State history, third largest in NCAA history)
Records: Penn State 13-0, 8-0 B1G; Ohio State 9-3, 6-2 B1G
Up Next for Penn State: Friday, Feb. 12, at Lehigh, 7 p.m.
