PSU’s Gulibon and Brown Clinch All-American Status
ST. LOUIS – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team had a 2-and-3 performance in the quarterfinals of the NCAA wrestling championships, leaving the squad well back in the team race. The program did welcome its newest All-American and another three-time All-American. Sophomore Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.) and senior Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) both claimed wins in the national quarterfinals and will look to continue their marches to an NCAA title in the national semifinals. Tonight’s action airs live on ESPN beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Penn State moves into tonight’s fourth session with six wrestlers still alive, four of whom are one win away from becoming All-Americans as tonight’s semifinals also include the ‘round of 12.’
Gulibon, the No. 7 seed at 133, was Penn State’s first national quarterfinalist of the day, taking on No. 2 Bradley Taylor of Wisconsin. Gulibon was the aggressor out of the gates, turning his third low single into a takedown and a 2-0 lead at the 1:19 mark. He turned Taylor for two near fall and led 4-0 after one. Taylor came on strong in the second with two quick takedowns to cut Gulibon’s lead to 7-4. Leading by three, Gulibon chose neutral to start the third period. Staying on offense, the Lion sophomore continued to work and finished off the match with a late takedown for a 9-4 victory. The decision makes Gulibon an All-American for the first time and moves him into tonight’s national semifinals.
Brown, the No. 2 seed at 174, faced off against No. 7 Matt Epperly of Virginia Tech in his quarterfinal match-up. After a scoreless first period, Brown took down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The Lion pressed the tempo, forcing Epperly backwards throughout the second period but could not connect for a takedown. Epperly chose down to start the third period and Brown made him pay for the decision. The Lion rode Epperly for all but :15 of the period and used the 1:45 riding time to post a 2-1 win. The victory moves Brown into tonight’s national semifinals and makes him Penn State’s 24th three-time All-American.
Freshman Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), the No. 14 seed at 184, took on Ohio State’s Kenny Courts of Ohio State in the quarters. McCutcheon continued his wide open wrestling, taking the action to Courts from the start. A quick low single turned into a scramble and a McCutcheon takedown at the 1:13 mark. The Lion freshman then rode Courts out to lead 3-0 after one. McCutcheon escaped to a 3-0 lead to start the second but McCutcheon answered with a takedown to cut the lead to 3-2. McCutcheon worked free for an escape before his riding time edge dipped below 1:00 and led 4-2 with 1:04 in time after two. Courts escaped quickly to start the third and then took McCutcheon down to take a 5-4 lead at the 1:21 mark. The Lion freshman, trailing by one, escaped to a 5-5 tie but his riding time edge was gone. The bout moved to sudden victory tied 5-5 where Courts finished off the comeback with a takedown for the 7-5 win. McCutcheon’s 7-5 (sv) loss, Penn State’s third extra time loss of the tournament, moves the Lion freshman into tonight’s consolation action.
Junior Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), the No. 2 seed at 197, met no. 10 Conner Hartmann of Duke in the quarterfinals. McIntosh nearly connected on a low single midway through the first period but Hartmann scrambled to a stalemate and the bout moved to the second stanza tied 0-0. McIntosh took a lead with a quick escape to start the second period and then worked his way in on a single. But Hartmann countered the move to open up a 2-1 lead with 1:20 on the clock and McIntosh tied the bout at 2-2 with an escape late in the second. Hartmann retook the lead with an escape at the 1:30 mark of the third period. McIntosh scrambled for a late takedown, appearing to complete the move in the final seconds, but the officials did not award the points and the Penn State corner challenged the call, sending it to video review. The no call stood, however, and McIntosh dropped the 3-2 decision. The loss moves the junior into tonight’s round of 12.
Senior Jimmy Lawson (Toms River, N.J.), the No. 8 seed at 285, met No. 1 seed and defending National Champion Nick Gwiazdowski of North Carolina State in the quarters. The top-seeded Gwiazdowski took an early lead with a takedown midway through the first period and then turned Lawson for two back points to lead 4-0. Gwiazdowski added an escape and a takedown before Lawson got on the board with a reversal. But the defending NCAA Champion was able to control the action from that point on and went on to post an 11-3 major over Lawson. Lawson’s loss drops him into the round of 12 tonight.
Junior Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), the No. 11 seed at 125, met Lehigh’s Scott Parker in his first consolation match Friday morning. Parker used a first period takedown to take an early lead that Conaway erased with a second period escape. With the bout tied 2-2 heading to the third, Parker chose down to begin the final stanza and quickly escaped to a 3-2 lead. Conaway forced Parker into a stall warning and then finished off a scramble in the middle of the mat for a takedown at the :55 mark to take a 4-3 lead. The Lion then held on for a ride out to post the 4-3 win and move into consolation round three.
In the next consolation round, Conaway took on Minnesota’s Ethan Lizak. Conaway was the aggressor from the start, forcing Lizak back to the outside circle for the opening two minutes before finishing off a takedown for a 2-0 lead. The Lion junior then controlled the action from the top position, working up a 1:22 riding time edge with a ride out. The second started neutral and Conaway upped his lead to 4-0 with another takedown. Leading 4-1, Conaway chose down to start the third period and reversed Lizak to take a 6-1 lead. Lizak would add a last second reversal but Conaway rolled to a 7-3 win with 2:26 in riding time. The win moves the junior into tonight’s ‘round of 12’.
Sophomore Zack Beitz (Mifflintown, Pa.), the No. 12 seed at 149, took on No. 6 Alec Pantaleo of Michigan in his first consolation match Friday morning. After a scoreless first period, Beitz took a 1-0 lead with a quick escape to start the second stanza. Pantaleo worked his way for a takedown to lead 2-1 with 1:15 left in the period and Beitz notched an escape to send the bout to the third tied 2-2. Pantaleo escaped to a 3-2 lead quickly in the third. Pantaleo countered a slight Beitz throw attempt for another takedown and a 5-3 lead. Beitz appeared to have a takedown with :06 left but the officials called the action out of bounds and instead gave Pantaleo another stall, cutting the lead to 5-4. Beitz was unable to connect in the last seconds and dropped a 5-4 decision. The loss ended the Lion sophomore’s season at 19-11, having gone 1-2 with a major at his first NCAA Championships.
Penn State went 4-4 in session three and is 16-6 overall. The Nittany Lions have 6.5 bonus points off five majors and a tech fall. Gulibon earned Penn State’s 190th All-American laurel with his quarterfinal win, the 27th All-America honor under Sanderson in just six years. Brown’s quarterfinal win was the 191st for Penn State and the 28th under Sanderson. Brown becomes Penn State’s 24th three-time All-American. Conaway, McCutcheon, McIntosh and Lawson each need one more win to secure All-America laurels. As of 2:20 p.m. Eastern, with Penn State concluded for the session but consolation action continuing, the Nittany Lions were in seventh place with 33.5 points.
Penn State continues tonight during the national semifinals and session four, which begins at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central in the Scottrade Center.
2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships – Team Score – Top Ten
Scores as of 2:20 p.m. Eastern
Friday, March 20, 2015 – Scottrade Center – St. Louis, Mo.
1: Ohio State – 64.5
2: Iowa – 46.5
3: Missouri – 45.0
4: Cornell – 40.0
5: Edinboro – 38.0
6: Oklahoma State – 35.5
7: PENN STATE – 33.5
8: Nebraska – 32.0
9: Minnesota – 28.5
10: Michigan – 25.5
