Penn State Bounces Badgers 36-7

psu-wrestlingUNIVERSITY PARK – No. 1 Penn State (5-0, 1-0 B10) dominated No. 15 Wisconsin (1-2, 0-1 B10) in the first of two Bryce Jordan Center duals this year.  The Nittany Lions won eight of ten bouts to roll to a 36-7 victory in front of nearly 13,000 fans.

The dual began at 125 where senior All-American Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), ranked No. 4 nationally, dominated Johnny Jimenez on his way to an 11-3 major decision.  Nittany Lion All-American Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 8 at 133, received a forfeit victory to put Penn State up 10-0 early. Sophomore Kade Moss (South Jordan, Utah) got the call at 141 and posted a 4-1 win over Wisconsin’s Luke Rowh.

Sophomore All-American Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, picked up his fourth pin, getting a first period fall (2:56) over Ryan Lubeck.  Red-shirt freshman Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 3 at 157, closed out the first half with his sixth fall of the year, getting a 6:00 pin over TJ. Ruschell to put Penn State up 25-0 at intermission. .

Junior Geno Morelli (DuBois, Pa.) got the nod at 165, making his Penn State dual meet debut.  The Lion junior nearly pulled off the upset, taking a late 4-3 lead over No. 3 Isaac Jordan of Wisconsin.  But Jordan managed a last second (with :01 on the clock) takedown to steal the 5-4 win and end the Lion shut-out run.  Red-shirt freshman Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 5 at 174, dominated No. 16 Ricky Robertson, posting a 16-2 major decision with 1:46 in riding time to put Penn State up 29-3.

Sophomore Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 13 at 184, majored Wisconsin’s Ryan Christensen, posting a 14-1 win with 3:43 in riding time.  Senior All-American Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 1 at 197, notched a 7-1 win over Eric Peissig to put Penn State up 36-3 with one bout to wrestle.  At heavyweight, red-shirt freshman Devon Van Cura (Washington, N.C.) made his Penn State dual meet debut against Brock Horwath.  Horwath used two takedowns to post a 10-0 major, and Penn State walked away with a 36-7 victory.

Penn State won the takedown battle by 20, with a 23-3 advantage.  The Nittany Lions, in winning eight of ten bouts, tallied 12 bonus points off two pins, a forfeit and three majors.  Retherford’s fall was his fourth of the year while Nolf tallied his sixth.

Penn State will visit Rider in its next outing, taking on the Broncs on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 4 p.m.  The Penn State/Rider dual will air live on The Comcast Network (TCN).  Penn State’s next home dual is on Friday, Jan. 15, when it hosts Nebraska at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall.

#1 Penn State 36, #15 Wisconsin 7

December 13, 2015 – Bryce Jordan Center – University Park, Pa.

125: #4 Nico Megaludis PSU maj. dec. Johnny Jimenez WIS, 11-3                       4-0

133: #8 Jordan Conaway PSU win by forfeit                                                       10-0

141: Kade Moss PSU dec. Luke Rowh WIS, 4-1                                                  13-0

149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU pinned Ryan Lubeck WIS, WBF (2:56)                     19-0

157: #3 Jason Nolf PSU pinned TJ Ruschell WIS, WBF (6:00)                              25-0

165: #3 Isaac Jordan WIS dec. Geno Morelli PSU, 5-4                                         25-3

174: #5 Bo Nickal PSU maj. dec. #16 Ricky Robertson WIS, 16-2                                    29-3

184: #13 Matt McCutcheon PSU maj. dec. Ryan Christensen WIS, 14-1                33-3

197: #1 Morgan McIntosh PSU dec. Eric Peissig WIS, 7-1                                   36-3

285: Brock Horwath WIS maj. dec. Devon Van Cura PSU, 10-0                            36-7

Attendance: 12,862

Records: Penn State 5-0, 1-0 B1G; Wisconsin 1-2, 0-1 B1G)

Up Next for Penn State: at Rider, Saturday, Dec. 19, 4 p.m. (TCN)

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