Penn State Downs Rutgers 28-6
PISCATAWAY, N.J.– The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, ranked No. 7 in the latest Intermat Tournament Power Index, dominated No. 25 Rutgers in The RAC Friday night. The Nittany Lions won eight of ten bouts to roll to a 28-6 win in front of a Rutgers wrestling record crowd of over 6,000 fans.
7-1 Penn State returns to Rec Hall for a 1 p.m. Sunday dual with Purdue.
Action Friday began at 125 where Nittany Lion junior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), ranked No. 8 nationally, put Penn State on top early with a 10-2 major over Rutgers’ Sean McCabe. Sophomore Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 7 at 133, matched that major with one of his own, dominating Scott DelVecchio on his way to a 12-2 major with nearly 4:00 in riding time. At 141, red-shirt freshman Kade Moss (South Jordan, Utah) nearly pulled off an early upset, taking No. 7 Anthony Ashnault to the wire. Ashnault came back from a late Moss lead with a takedown to post a 6-4 win, cutting Penn State’s lead to 8-3.
Sophomore Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), ranked No. 17 at 149, suffered a 5-2 upset loss to Rutgers junior Ken Theobold. Senior Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 7 at 157, stopped the Scarlet Knight’s momentum with a 11-3 major over Dylan Painton. Alton, now 8-2, ended the bout with 5:24 in riding time and Penn State led 12-6 at intermission.
Red-shirt freshman Garett Hammond (Chambersburg, Pa.) widened Penn State’s lead with the Lions’ fourth win, and fourth major, of the dual. Hammond posted a 13-4 victory over Nick Visicaro to put Penn State up 16-6. Senior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), ranked No. 4 at 174, then took care of No. 20 Phillip Bakuckas, posting a 7-1 win.
Nittany Lion red-shirt freshman Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 16 at 184, clinched the dual meet with a 10-4 victory over Anthony Pafumi. Junior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), ranked No. 6 at 197, was strong, downing Andrew Campollatano 8-2 to put Penn State up 25-6. Senior Jon Gingrich (Wingate, Pa.) closed out the dual in style with a sudden victory win over Billy Smith, who was ranked No. 13 at 285. Gingrich scored just seconds into extra time, using a fast ankle pick and control of Smith’s other foot for the decisive move, posting the 5-3 (sv) win. The victory gave Penn State a 28-6 win.
Penn State won eight of ten bouts and picked up four bonus points off four straight majors. The Lions won the takedown battle 22-6 as well.
The Nittany Lions are now 7-1 overall, 3-1 in Big Ten duals, while Rutgers is 9-4, 0-4. Penn State will host Purdue on Sunday at 1 p.m. in its next dual meet.
#7 Penn State 28, #25 Rutgers 6
January 16, 2015 – The RAC – Piscataway, N.J.
125: #8 Jordan Conaway PSU maj. dec. Sean McCabe RUT, 10-2 4-0
133: #7 Jimmy Gulibon PSU maj. dec. Scott DelVecchio RUT, 12-2 8-0
141: #7 Anthony Ashnault RUT dec. Kade Moss PSU, 6-4 8-3
149: Ken Theobold RUT dec. #17 Zack Beitz PSU, 5-2 8-6
157: #7 Dylan Alton PSU maj. dec. Dylan Painton RUT, 11-3 12-6
165: Garett Hammond PSU maj. dec. Nick Visicaro RUT, 13-4 16-6
174: #4 Matt Brown PSU dec. #20 Phillip Bakuckas RUT, 7-1 19-6
184: #16 Matt McCutcheon PSU dec. Anthony Pafumi RUT, 10-4 22-6
197: #6 Morgan McIntosh PSU dec. Andrew Campollatano RUT, 8-2 25-6
285: Jon Gingrich PSU dec. #13 Billy Smith RUT, 3-1 (sv) 28-6
Attendance: 6,071
Records: Penn State 7-1, 3-1 B10; Rutgers 9-4, 0-4 B10
Up Next for Penn State: Hosts Purdue on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 1 p.m. in Rec Hall
