Nittany Lions Roll over Maryland 47-3 for B1G Road Win
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Penn State (9-0, 5-0 B1G) Sunday rolled over Maryland (5-8, 0-7 B1G) for a Big Ten road win. Penn State got a season-high six pins in a lopsided 47-3 victory to remain unbeaten on the year. The Nittany Lions won nine of ten bouts, led by junior Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) with a big win at 285 in the dual’s marquee match-up.
The dual began at 125 where Nittany Lion Devin Schnupp (Lititz, Pa.) mounted a late flurry but fell just shy in a 4-2 loss to Maryland’s Brandon Cray. Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) put Penn State on top with by pinning Jhared Simmons at 133. Keener turned a big second period lead into a fall at the 3:48 mark. True freshman Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, then dominated Terrapin junior Ryan Diehl, collecting eight takedowns in a lopsided 22-10 major decision, giving Penn State a 10-6 lead.
Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, continued his torrid pace, pinning Alfred Bannister at the 1:19 mark to put Penn State up 16-3. The fall was Retherford’s 15th of the year. Junior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, kept pace with Retherford, picking up his 15th pin of the year as well. Nolf turned a big first period lead into a cradle and a fall over Kyle Cochran at the 1:43 mark. The Nittany Lions carried a 22-3 lead into intermission off three pins and a major.
Penn State continued its pin parade to start the second half with three straight. Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, pinned Brendan Burnham in the first period, getting the fall at the 1:23 mark. Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), ranked No. 2 at 174, also notched a first period pin, getting the fall over Jahi Jones at the 2:44 mark.
Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, made it three straight to start the second half (and six for the dual) by pinning Nico Capello at the 3:32 mark in the second period to put Penn State up 40-3. Sophomore Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.) got the call at 197 for Penn State and dominated David-Brian Whisler, rolling to a 14-5 major decision to put Penn State up 44-3. Nevills, ranked No. 8 at 285, faced No. 6 Youssif Hemida of Maryland in the dual’s marquee match-up. Nevills controlled the action from start to finish, using a first period takedown and a full third period rideout to roll to a 4-1 win with 2:20 in riding time. Nevills’ strong performance put Penn State up 47-3 at dual’s end.
Penn State notched a lopsided 36-1 takedown edge and, with its 28-0 edge against Purdue on Friday night, owned a 64-1 takedown advantage on the weekend. Penn State grabbed 20 bonus points off six pins (Keener, Retherford, Nolf, Joseph, Hall, and Nickal) and two majors (Lee and Cassar). The win moves Penn State’s dual meet win streak to 40 straight, dating back to the 2014-15 season. Retherford now has 15 pins on the year and 51 for his career, just two shy of tying Penn State’s all-time record of 53. Nolf also has 15 and 44 for his career, fifth all-time. Nickal has 11 this season and 36 for his career, seventh all-time. Penn State moves to 9-0, 5-0 in the Big Ten while Maryland falls to 5-8, 0-7 B1G.
The Nittany Lions return to Rec Hall on Friday, Jan. 26, against Minnesota. The 7 p.m. dual in Rec Hall will be a BTN live national telecast.
#2 Penn State 47, Maryland 3
January 21, 2018 – College Park, Md.
125: Brandon Cray MD dec. Devin Schnupp PSU, 4-2 0-3
133: Corey Keener PSU pinned Jhared Simmons, WBF (3:48) 6-3
141: #7 Nick Lee PSU maj. dec. Ryan Diehl MD, 22-10 10-3
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU pinned Alfred Bannister MD, WBF (1:19) 16-3
157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU pinned Kyle Cochran MD, WBF (1:43) 22-3
165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU pinned Brendan Burnham MD, WBF (1:23) 28-3
174: #2 Mark Hall PSU pinned Jahi Jones MD, WBF (2:44) 34-3
184: #1 Bo Nickal PSU pinned Nico Capello MD, WBF (2:23) 40-3
197: Anthony Cassar PSU maj. dec. David-Brian Whisler MD, 14-5 44-3
285: #8 Nick Nevills PSU dec. #6 Youssif Hemida MD, 4-1 47-3
Records: Penn State 9-0, 5-0 B1G; Maryland 5-8, 0-7 B1G
Up Next for Penn State: Home vs. Minnesota, Friday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m. in Rec Hall (BTN)
