Nittany Lions Rout Purdue, 43-6
UNIVERSITY PARK – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (8-0, 4-0 B1G) took care of visiting Purdue (5-4, 0-3 B1G) in Friday night’s first home dual in over a month. The Nittany Lions handled the Boilermakers 43-6 to remain unbeaten on the year.
Over 6,500 fans watched as Penn State won every contested bout, giving up only one forfeit loss. Penn State did not give up a takedown in the victory and notched four pins to roll over the Boilermakers.
The dual began at 125 where Purdue’s Luke Welch received a forfeit victory to give the Boilermakers an early 6-0 lead. Penn State’s freshmen 125-pounders were both ill and could not compete. Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) got Penn State on the board with an exciting 3-2 win over Boiler Ben Thornton in the dual’s first contested bout. True freshman Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, made his Rec Hall debut and did not disappoint. Lee rolled to a 14-4 major over Purdue’s Nate Limmex to put Penn State up 7-6.
Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, notched six takedowns in less that :90 and then turned Purdue’s Austin Nash at the 1:41 mark to give Penn State a 13-6 lead. The fall was Retherford’s 14th of the year. Junior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, turned a quick second period takedown into his 14th pin of the year to give the Nittany Lions a 19-6 lead at intermission.
Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.) ranked No. 1 at 165, got Penn State started in the second half in fine fashion rolling to an 18-3 technical fall at the 5:00 mark over Boilermaker Jacob Morrissey. Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 174, dominated No. 12 Dylan Lydy in one of the dual’s marquee match-ups, rolling to an 11-3 major with 1:45 in riding time, giving Penn State a 28-6 lead.
Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, picked up Penn State’s third pin with a fall at the 1:55 mark for his 10th pin of the season, putting the Nittany Lions up 34-6 Junior Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.), ranked No. 10 at 197, followed suit and grabbed Penn State’s fourth pin of the evening, and his 10th of the year, with a fall over Kobe Woods at the 1:42 mark. Junior Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 8 at 285, faced No. 15 Shawn Streck in another of the dual’s most anticipated match-ups. Nevills used solid defense and a third period takedown to walk away with a 4-2 win. Nevills’ decision made the final score 43-6 in Penn State’s favor.
Penn State dominated the action, posting a 28-0 takedown advantage and picking up 16 bonus points off four pins (Retherford, Nolf, Nickal and Rasheed), a tech fall (Joseph) and two majors (Lee and Hall). The win moves Penn State’s dual meet win streak to 39 straight, dating back to the 2014-15 season. Retherford now has 14 pins on the year and 50 for his career, just three shy of tying Penn State’s all-time record of 53. Nolf also has 14 and 43 for his career, fifth all-time. Nickal has ten this season and 35 for his career, seventh all-time. Rasheed has ten this season as well and 18 for his career. Penn State moves to 8-0, 4-0 in the Big Ten while Purdue stands at 5-4, 0-3 B1G.
The Nittany Lions visit Maryland on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 4 p.m. Penn State’s next home event is set for Friday, Jan. 26, against Minnesota. The 7 p.m. dual in Rec Hall will be a BTN live national telecast.
No. 2 Penn State 43, Purdue 6
January 19, 2018 – Rec Hall – University Park, Pa.
125: Luke Welch PUR win by forfeit 0-6
133: Corey Keener PSU dec. Ben Thornton PUR, 3-2 3-6
141: #7 Nick Lee PSU maj. dec. Nate Limmex PUR, 14-4 7-6
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU pinned Austin Nash PUR, WBF (1:41) 13-6
157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU pinned Cole Wysocki PUR, WBF (3:45) 19-6
165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU TF Jacob Morrissey PUR, 18-3 (TF; 5:00) 24-6
174: #2 Mark Hall PSU maj. dec. #12 Dylan Lydy PUR, 11-3 28-6
184: #1 Bo Nickal PSU pinned Max Lyon PUR, WBF (1:55) 34-6
197: #10 Shakur Rasheed PSU pinned Kobe Woods PUR, WBF (1:42) 40-6
285: #8 Nick Nevills PSU dec. #15 Shawn Streck PUR, 4-2 43-6
Attendance: 6,547 (38th straight Rec Hall sellout, 41st of 43 including 3 of 5 in BJC)
Records: Penn State 8-0, 4-0 B1G; Purdue 5-4, 0-3 B1G
Up Next for Penn State: at Maryland, Sunday, Jan. 21, 4 p.m.
