Penn State Goes 5-2 in NCAA Round of 16
ST. LOUIS – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team closed out an outstanding first day at the 2015 NCAA Championships in near-perfect fashion. The Nittany Lions followed up a 7-0 first round with a 5-2 second round, only two hard-fought sudden victory losses from going 14-0 on the day.
Penn State picked up two more majors and advanced five into tomorrow morning’s quarterfinals. Penn State has all seven wrestlers still alive. After the perfect first round, the Nittany Lions were done early in round two and with consolation action still going on. As of 9:30 p.m. Eastern, Penn State was in third place in a heated team race with the Lions looking to win a fifth straight NCAA title.
Junior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), the No. 11 seed at 125, took on No. 6 Thomas Gilman of Iowa in the second round. After a scoreless first period, Conaway notched an escape to start the second period and led 1-0 heading into the third. Gilman tied the score with an escape of his own to send the bout to sudden victory where the Hawkeye clinched the win with a takedown. The 3-1 (sv) loss, Penn State’s first of the tournament, moves Conaway into tomorrow morning’s consolation action.
Sophomore Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), the No. 7 seed at 133, met Utah Valley’s Jade Rauser in round two. Gulibon gave up a first period takedown and trailed 2-1 early. Rauser escaped to a 3-1 lead to start the second period but Gulibon quickly tied the match with a takedown. Rauser escaped to lead 4-3 after two and Gulibon quickly tied the match at 4-4 with an escape to start the third period. He then clinched the match with a takedown and two near fall points in the final :30 to post the 8-4 win and move into the quarterfinals tomorrow morning.
Sophomore Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), the No. 12 seed at 149, met No. 5 Chris Villalonga of Cornell in round two. Villalonga chose down to start the second period after a scoreless opening stanza and escaped to a 1-0 lead. Beitz answered quickly, however, using a fast low shot to take a 2-1 lead with a takedown on the edge of the mat. Another escape tied the bout at 2-2 after two periods. Beitz chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-2 lead. A Villalonga takedown and Beitz escape knotted the bout at 4-4 with :40 left to wrestle, sending the bout to sudden victory. Villalonga countered a Beitz shot in extra time for a takedown and a 6-4 (sv) win. Beitz moves to tomorrow morning’s consolation round.
Senior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), the No. 2 seed at 174, met No. 15 Santiago Martinez of Lehigh in the second round. Brown dominated the action in the first period, connecting on one of numerous shots to lead 2-0 after the opening stanza. He added a quick escape to start the period and another takedown and ride out to lead 5-0 with over 1:00 in riding time after two. Martinez chose down to start the third period and Brown cut him loose to begin working towards a major. The Lion senior added two more takedowns and rolled to a 10-2 major with 2:57 in riding time. The win moves Brown into tomorrow morning’s quarterfinals.
Freshman Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), the No. 14 seed at 184, took on No. 3 Blake Stauffer of Arizona State in round two. McCutcheon worked in on two solid low singles but Stauffer was able to fight of the Lion’s efforts and send the bout to the second period tied 0-0. Stauffer escaped to a 1-0 lead to start the middle stanza. McCutcheon, down by one after two periods, then took down to start the third period and worked his way to an escape and a 1-1 tie at the 1:05 mark with Stauffer owning :52 of riding time. The bout moved to sudden victory where each man traded early scoring chances. McCutcheon broke through with a scrambling takedown with just :23 left to post the thrilling 3-1 (sv) win over the third-seeded Sun Devil. The win moves the Lion freshman into tomorrow morning’s quarterfinals.
Junior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), the No. 2 seed at 197, met No. 15 Aaron Studebaker of Nebraska in the second round. McIntosh dominated the first period, notching two takedowns to lead 4-2 after the opening stanza. He took down to start the second, quickly escaped to a 5-2 lead, and blew through another high double to take a 7-2 lead. He added one more score in the middle period and led 9-3 after two. McIntosh would add two more takedowns, including one with just two seconds left, to secure important bonus points with a 14-5 major decision (with 1:44 in riding time). The victory moves McIntosh into tomorrow morning’s quarterfinals.
Senior Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), the No. 8 seed at 285, met No. 9 Michael Kroells of Minnesota in round two. The duo battled through a scoreless first three minutes. Kroells chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Trailing by one after two periods, Lawson chose down to start the third and escaped to a 1-1 tie. Maintaining contact, the Lion senior worked for control high, then slid low quickly for a takedown on the edge of the mat and a 3-1 lead. Kroells quickly escaped to a 3-2 score with 1:20 left in the match. Lawson continued to push the action and added one more takedown to post the 5-2 win. The victory moves Lawson into the quarterfinals tomorrow morning.
The Nittany Lions went 5-2 in session two and picked up two more majors (Brown and McIntosh). Penn State was just two sudden victory losses from going a perfect 14-0 on the day. The Nittany Lions are 12-2 with 6.5 bonus points off five majors and a tech fall. As of 9:30 p.m. (with Penn State done wrestling and consolation action still ongoing), Ohio State was in first place with 22.5 points, Oklahoma State second with 19.0 and Penn State and Iowa tied for third with 18.5. Nebraska followed with 17.0. Remember, these standing could change post-press.
Penn State continues its 2015 NCAA Championship run on Friday during session three, which begins at 11 a.m. Eastern/10 a.m. Central in the Scottrade Center. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2014-15 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships – Team Score Update
Top five as 9:30 P.M. (Eastern)
Thursday, March 19, 2015 – Scottrade Center – St. Louis, Mo.
1: Ohio State – 22.5
2: Oklahoma State – 19.0
3: PENN STATE – 18.5
3: Iowa – 18.5
5: Nebraska – 17.0
Att: 18,414
125: #11 Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), Jr. — (24-7 overall)
1st Rd: Joaquin Martinez, The Citadel – W, 12-7 dec.
2nd Rd: #6 Thomas Gilman, Iowa – L, 1-3 (sv) dec.
Cn 2: Tomorrow morning
Junior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), the No. 11 seed at 125, began Penn State’s day with a solid 12-7 win over Joaquin Martinez of the Citadel. The Lion junior used two reversals and a late four-point move in the second period to break away for the win.
133: #7 Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), So. — (24-7 overall)
1st Rd: Scott Delvecchio, Rutgers – W, 11-3 maj. dec.
2nd Rd: Jade Rauser, Utah Valley – W, 8-4 dec.
Qtrs: #2 Bradley Taylor, Wisconsin – Tomorrow morning
Sophomore Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), the No. 7 seed at 133, dominated Rutgers’ Scott Delvecchio, using a last second takedown to secure Penn State’s first bonus points and rolling to an 11-3 major decision with nearly 2:00 of riding time.
149: #12 Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), So. — (19-10 overall)
1st Rd: Shawn Greevy, Chattanooga – W, 10-1 maj. dec.
2nd Rd: #5 Chris Villalonga, Cornell – L, 4-6 (sv) dec.
Cn 2: Tomorrow morning
Sophomore Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), the No. 12 seed at 149, was equally dominant in his NCAA Championship debut, rolling to a 10-1 major over Shawn Greevy of Chattanooga. Beitz used multiple takedowns and a three point near fall in the second and added 3:35 riding time.
174: #2 Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) Sr. — (26-3 overall)
1st Rd: Pete Renda, North Carolina State – W, 12-4 maj. dec.
2nd Rd: #15 Santiago Martinez, Lehigh – W, 10-2 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #7 Zach Epperly, Virginia Tech – Tomorrow morning
Senior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), the No. 2 seed at 174, made it three straight majors for Penn State with a strong 12-4 major over Pete Renda of North Carolina State. Brown secured the bonus point with a late takedown and 2:55 riding time.
184: #14 Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), Fr. — (26-12 overall)
1st Rd: Nick Fiegener, Cal Poly – W, 20-5 (TF; 7:00)
2nd Rd: #3 Blake Stauffer, Arizona State – W, 3-1 (sv) dec.
Qtrs: Kenny Courts, Ohio State – Tomorrow morning
Freshman Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), the No. 14 seed at 184, made it yet another bonus point win with a furious 20-5 technical fall over Cal Poly’s Nick Fiegener. McCutcheon, in his NCAA Championship debut, tallied numerous takedowns and turns and picked up the tech fall off 1:41 in riding time at the 7:00 mark.
197: #2 Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), Jr. — (28-2 overall)
1st Rd: Zach Nye, Virginia – W, 3-0 dec.
2nd Rd: #15 Adam Studebaker, Nebraska – W, 14-5 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #10 Conner Hartmann, Duke – Tomorrow morning
Junior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), the No. 2 seed at 197, built up nearly 4:00 of riding time and used a second period reversal to roll to a first round win over Virginia’s Zach Nye. McIntosh amassed 3:55 in time on his way to a 3-0 victory to move into the second round.
285: #8 Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), Sr. — (17-3 overall)
1st Rd: Jacob Aiken-Phillips, Cornell – W, 9-3 dec.
2nd Rd: #9 Michael Kroells, Minnesota – W, 5-2 dec.
Qtrs: #1 Nick Gwiazdowski, North Carolina St. – Tomorrow morning
Senior Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), the No. 8 seed at 285, controlled Cornell’s Jacob Aiken-Phillips from start to finish in his 9-3 first round win. Lawson rolled up three takedowns, a reversal and 3:43 in riding time to move into round two and cap off the perfect Penn State morning.
