Nittany Lions Dominate Bucknell 36-6

UNIVERSITY PARK – No. 1 Penn State (2-0, 0-0 B1G) concluded an unbeaten weekend with a lopsided 36-6 win over visiting Bucknell (0-4). Over 6,500 fans packed Rec Hall for the dual, Penn State’s 37th straight Rec Hall sellout. Penn State picked up two pins in the win, and with five in Thursday’s victory over Army West Point, collected seven falls in its two duals in Rec Hall over the weekend.

The dual began at 125 where Nittany Lion redshirt freshman Devin Schnupp (Lititz, Pa.) continued his first Lion dual weekend. Bucknell’s Jake Campbell posted a hard-fought 3-1 win to give the Bison an early 3-0 lead. Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.), ranked No. 15 at 133, made short work of that lead, however, by posting a dominating 12-4 major over David Campbell to put the Nittany Lions up 4-3. Keener collected 3:51 in riding time in the lopsided win.

Junior Jered Cortez (Carol Stream, Ill.) downed Matt Kolonia 10-4 at 141 to give the Lions a 7-3 lead. Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, picked up a second period pin, getting the fall over Seth Hogue at the 4:14 mark to give the Nittany Lions a 13-3 lead. Junior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, sent Penn State into intermission with a 19-3 lead thanks to Penn State’s second pin of the day, a fall over Christian Bassolino at the 3:33 mark.

Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, kept the Lions rolling with a 23-8 technical fall over D.J. Hollingshead, picking up TF at the 6:30 mark. Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 174, mirrored Joseph’s results with a 2-16 technical fall at the 6:50 mark. Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, followed those two bonus point wins up with a 16-6 major to give the Nittany Lions a 33-3 lead.

Sophomore Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.) continued his first Lion dual weekend at 197, saw a furious third period rally fall short in an 11-8 loss to Garrett Hoffman. Junior Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 3 at 285, closed out the dual meet with a strong 11-4 win with 2:50 in riding time to give the Nittany Lions the 36-6 victory.

The Nittany Lions gathered 12 bonus points off two pins, two tech falls and two majors. Penn State posted a lopsided 49-4 edge in takedowns.

Penn State is now 2-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten. Bucknell falls to 0-4. The dual was wrestled in front of a sellout crowd of 6,535. The Nittany Lions have wrestled in front of 37 straight Rec Hall sellouts and 40 of 42 overall (including three of five in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions have won 33 straight dual meets dating back to the end of the 2014-15 season.

Penn State continues action next weekend with a dual meet at Binghamton on Friday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. The Nittany Lions then trek to Philadelphia for the Keystone Classic on Sunday, Nov. 19, at Penn. With all home dual meets sold out, a limited number of Standing Room Only (SRO) tickets are available to select Rec Hall duals based on availability. Call 1-800-NITTANY for information or to purchase tickets.

The 2017-18 Penn State wrestling season is sponsored 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.

#1 Penn State 36, Bucknell 6
November 12, 2017 – Rec Hall – University Park, Pa.

125: Jake Campbell BU dec. Devin Schnupp PSU, 3-1 / 0-3
133: #15 Corey Keener PSU maj. dec. David Campbell BU, 12-4 / 4-3
141: Jered Cortez PSU dec. Matt Kolonia BU, 10-4 / 7-3
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU pinned Seth Hogue BU, WBF (4:14) / 13-3
157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU pinned Christian Bassolino BU, WBF (3:33) / 19-3
165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU TF D.J. Hollingshead BU, 23-8 (TF; 6:30) / 24-3
174: #2 Mark Hall PSU TF Nick Stephani BU, 21-6 (TF; 6:50) / 29-3
184: #1 Bo Nickal PSU maj. dec. Drew Phipps BU, 16-6 / 33-3
197: Garrett Hoffman BU dec. Anthony Cassar PSU, 11-8 / 33-6
285: #3 Nick Nevills, PSU dec. Eric Chakonis BU, 11-4 / 36-6
Attendance: 6,535 (37th straight Rec Hall sell-out; 40th of 42 including 3 of 5 in Rec Hall)
Records: Penn State 2-0, Bucknell 0-4
Up Next for Penn State: at Binghamton, Friday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m.

BOUT-BY-BOUT:

125: Redshirt freshman Devin Schnupp (Lititz, Pa.) continued his first weekend in the starting lineup against talented Bison freshman Jakob Campbell. Schnupp got in on an early single that Campbell stepped back from in the opening period’s first salvo. The duo battled evenly as the clock hit 1:00 and Campbell snapped Schnupp’s head down for a quick takedown and a 2-0 lead. Campbell rode the Lion out and carried that lead into the second period. Schnupp chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-1 deficit. Neither man challenged over the next minute and a stalemate forced a reset at the :40 mark. Leading 2-1, Campbell chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead. Schnupp countered a slight Campbell shot and worked his way into control of the Bison’s leg at the 1:10 mark. He tried to work the Bison to the mat but Campbell slipped out of trouble to maintain his lead with :40 left. Schnupp pressed for a final shot but the Bison’s defense was strong enough for Campbell to hold on for a 3-1 win.

133: Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.), ranked No. 15 at 133, took on Bucknell’s David Campbell. Keener came out fast, blowing through a blast double to take an early 2-0 lead. The Lion senior worked strong on top, looking to turn the Bison for a pinning combination. Keener’s strong ride allowed him to build up well over 1:00 in riding time as he tried to turn Campbell. Campbell gave up a first stall at the 1:30 mark and action moved out of bounds with 1:08 on the clock. Keener cut Campbell loose on the reset and added a second takedown to lead 4-1 with over 2:00 in riding time after one period. Keener chose down to start the second stanza and quickly reversed the Bison to lead 6-1. Campbell escaped with :55 on the clock and action resumed in the center circle. Keener picked up another point on a second stall and led 7-2 after two periods. Campbell chose down to start the third period and Keener continued to dominate the action on top. Clinching the riding time point, Keener cut Campbell loose with 1:00 left and added two quick takedowns to clinch the bonus point. His 3:51 in riding time gave the Lion a 12-4 major decision.

141: Junior Jered Cortez (Carol Stream, Ill.) faced off against Matt Kolonia. Cortez came out hot, shooting low, fighting off a fast Kolonia counter, and picking up the takedown for a 2-0 lead. He then turned Kolonia for two back points before the Bison escaped to a 4-1 score. Cortez then worked a solid low single into a second takedown and a 6-1 lead with 1:10 on the clock. Kolonia escaped to a 6-2 score. Leading 6-2, Cortez chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 lead. Cortez’s pressure forced Kolonia into a stall warning at the :40 mark. Kolonia fought off a Cortez high single to keep the score at 7-2 after two periods. Kolonia chose down to start the third period and Cortez controlled the Bison long enough to work his riding time point up over 1:00 before Kolonia escaped to a 7-3 score. Cortez fought off a late Kolonia flurry and picked up another takedown with :15 on the clock. He cut the Bison loose looking for a late takedown but Kolonia held him off. With 1:07 in riding time, Cortez walked off with a 10-4 decision.

149: Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, took on Seth Hogue. Retherford worked a low single into a takedown and a 2-0 lead at the 2:00 mark. He then turned Hogue for two back points and led 4-0. Retherford worked from the top position after a reset and built up over 1:00 in riding time. The Lion senior then cranked Hogue over for a four-point turn, readjusted himself and nearly picked up the pin before time ran out. The move gave Retherford an 8-0 lead after one period. Retherford chose neutral to start the second period and was taken down by Hogue. He quickly reversed the Bison, cut him loose to a 10-3 lead and took him down again. This time, Retherford turned Hogue over and finished off the pin at the 4:14 mark.

157: Junior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, met Bucknell’s Christian Bassolino. Nolf scored early off a fast low single and led 2-1 with 2:20 on the clock. He rolled his way to a fast second takedown to up his lead to 4-2 after cutting Bassolino loose. The Nittany Lion junior picked up a quick third takedown, then a fourth after a BU escape to move his lead to 8-3 with 1:00 on the clock. Bassolino escaped off a reset and Nolf continued to chase the Bison down for a fifth takedown and cut. He ended the period with a sixth takedown and led 12-6 after one furious period. Nolf chose down to start the second stanza, escaped and then took a 15-6 lead with a quick takedown. The then locked up a cradle and ended the match with a pin at the 3:33 mark.

165: Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, battled Bison junior D.J. Hollingshead. Joseph nearly locked up a throw out of the gates but Hollingshead was able to fight off the move and get out of bounds. Joseph blew through a fast double off the reset and led 2-0 with 2:20 on the clock. He cut the Bison loose to a 2-1 score and then worked his way behind him for a second takedown and 4-1 lead. He cut him loose and quickly took him down a third time to move up 6-2 while working his riding time up over 1:00. Joseph tacked on another takedown with :42 on the clock and then dominated action for the rest of the period, finishing on top and forcing Hollingshead into a first stall. Leading 8-3, Joseph chose down to start the second period, quickly escaped and then took the Bison down to lead 11-3 just :15 into the middle stanza. Joseph tacked on two more takedowns to lead 16-5 with nearly 3:00 in time after two periods. Hollingshead chose down to start the third stanza and Joseph cut him loose, blew through another high double and led 18-7. He finished off the technical fall with two more takedowns and a stall point to roll to a 23-8 tech fall at the 6:30 mark.

174: Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 174, met Bucknell junior Nick Stephani. Hall came out hot, picking up two takedowns in the first sixty seconds to open up an early 4-2 lead. He snapped down on a low double for a third takedown, then added a fourth just seconds later to lead 8-4 less than two minutes into the bout. After a first Stephani stall, Hall notched his fifth takedown on the edge of the mat and led 10-4. He spent the rest of the period in control up top and led 10-4 with 1:05 in riding time. Hall chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to an 11-4 lead. He picked up a quick takedown after his escape and turned Stephani for four back points and a 17-4 lead with 1:30 on the clock. Hall finished on top and led 17-4 with 2:34 in time after two periods. Stephani chose down to start the third period and Hall went to work on top. He clinched the riding time point, cut the Bison loose and then took him down two more times for a 21-6 tech fall at the 6:50 mark.

184: Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, took on Drew Phipps. Nickal scored quickly, taking a 2-0 lead with a solid double at the 2:17 mark. He cut Phipps loose and went to work on offense, adding a second takedown at the 1:50 mark. The Lion junior cut Phipps loose again, and used a high single to roll his way to a third takedown and a 6-2 lead. He finished on top and carried 1:20 of time into the second period as well. Nickal chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 lead. Another takedown and cut gave the Lion a 9-3 margin with 1:00 left in the middle period. He picked up one more takedown and led 11-3 with 1:51 in time after two periods. Phipps chose down to start the third. Nickal quickly cut him loose and took him down for a 13-4 edge and then began working for a turning combination. Phipps was able to keep from giving up the points but a stall warning was given. Nickal added on another takedown and rolled to a 16-6 major with 2:57 in time.

197: Sophomore Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.) took to the mat at 197 and tangled with sophomore Garrett Hoffman. Cassar shot early, Hoffman countered and the Lion sophomore forced a stalemate to keep the bout scoreless at the 1:44 mark. Cassar missed on a low single and Hoffman was able to finish off a counter takedown to lead 2-0 at the 1:20 mark. Cassar was not able to break free of a strong Hoffman ride and the Bison led 2-0 after one period. Hoffman chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. Cassar countered a slight Hoffman shot for his first takedown, cutting the lead to 3-2 with 1:32 on the clock. Hoffman escaped to a 4-2 lead then countered a Cassar shot for another takedown and 6-2 lead. Cassar was hit for a second stall and trailed 7-2 with :31 left in the middle stanza. Trailing 7-2 and giving up 2:070 in time, Cassar chose neutral to start the third period. Cassar countered a Hoffman shot to cut the lead to 7-4 with 1:28 on the clock. He cut the Bison loose to an 8-4 deficit and then appeared to take Hoffman down at the :40 mark but the official ruled action out of bounds. Penn State challenged the call and the takedown was awarded. The takedown cut Hoffman’s lead to 9-6 after Cassar cut him loose. Cassar quickly took him down to cut the lead to 9-8, cut him loose with :15 left and worked furiously for a tying takedown. Hoffman was able to hold off the late Cassar rally and, with 1:38 in time, posted the hard fought 11-8 win.

285: Junior Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 3 at 285, took on Bison freshman Eric Chakonis. Nevills worked the middle of the mat and turned a single leg into a takedown and an early 2-0 with 1:25 on the clock. He tried to turn Chakonis for back points and slipped on the hold, giving up a reversal and then taking a 3-2 lead with a quick escape. Trailing by one, Chakonis chose down to start the second period. Nevills went to work on top, controlling action while trying to turn the Bison. Nevills’ full period rideout gave the Lion a 3-2 lead with 2:05 in riding time heading into the third stanza. Nevills chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 4-2 lead. He picked up a quick second takedown to move out to a 6-2 edge and then cut the Bison loose with his riding time clinched. Nevills took the Bison down a third time and then spent the final seconds trying to turn him for back points. With just :05 left, Nevills cut Chakonis loose and was able to tag on a late takedown to post an 11-4 decision with 2:50 in riding time.