Nolf Injured as Penn State Downs Rutgers for B1G Road Win
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Penn State Nittany Lions (11-0, 7-0 B1G) took care of home standing Rutgers (5-5, 1-4 B1G) for a Big Ten Sunday road win. The Nittany Lions came back from an early deficit and a tough injury default loss to post a 25-15 win, winning seven of ten bouts. The dual was wrestled in front of a RAC sellout crowd of 8,321 at Rutgers and was Penn State’s final road dual of the year. Penn State’s defending NCAA Jason Nolf had to injury default after sustaining what appeared to be a right knee injury during a stalemate situation at 157 pounds. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury but the Nittany Lion junior was limping considerably as he was assisted to the sideline.
The dual began at 125 where red-shirt freshman Devin Schnupp (Lititz, Pa.) was pinned by Rutgers’ Nick Suriano, a Penn State transfer from a year ago. Senior Corey Keener (Schuylkill Haven, Pa.) battled No. 19 Scott Delvecchio tough but dropped a 6-2 decision after giving up a late counter takedown on a last-second effort to tie the bout. Rutgers led 9-0 after two bouts.
True freshman Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), ranked No. 7 at 141, got things started by handling Michael Van Brill in a 5-2 decision. Senior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, dominated No. 13 Eleazor DeLuca 14-2, picking up the major as DeLuca got hit for multiple unsportsmanlike penalties in the bout. Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, was beating No. 17 John Van Brill early in the second period when the Lion was injured after a late stalemate/potentially dangerous call and unable to continue, giving Rutgers a lead at intermission. Nolf had won 46 straight before the injury default. Penn State lost a team point due to a bench unsportsmanlike call after the Lion coaches reacted to the late stalemate call.
Sophomore Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 165, took care of No. 11 Richie Lewis, notching the only takedowns in a 5-4 win to cut Rutgers’ lead to 15-9. Sophomore Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) continued Penn State’s comeback with a 24-9 technical fall over Rutgers’ Joe Grello, including ten takedowns. Hall’s win cut the Rutgers lead to 15-14.
Junior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 1 at 184, gave Penn State its first lead with a hard-fought 6-5 win over No. 12 Nicholas Gravina. Sophomore Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.), wrestling at 197 for Penn State in his home state, rolled over Anthony Messner in a 16-5 major decision to extend Penn State’s lead to 21-15. Junior Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 6 at 285, finished off the Penn State comeback victory with a 21-7 major over Ralph Normandia. Penn State remained unbeaten on the year with the 25-15 win.
Penn State posted a lopsided 38-13 takedown advantage in the victory. The win moves Penn State’s dual meet win streak to 42 straight, dating back to the 2014-15 season. Retherford stays at 15 pins on the year and 51 for his career, just two shy of tying Penn State’s all-time record of 53. Retherford now has 115 career wins, 17th all-time at Penn State. Penn State is now 11-0, 7-0 in the Big Ten. Rutgers falls to 5-5, 1-4 B1G.
Penn State will battle the Ohio State Buckeyes in Rec Hall in another BTN national telecast. The dual will begin at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. The Ohio State dual next week and the Iowa dual in the BJC on Feb. 10 are sold out but a limited number of Standing Room Only (SRO) tickets may be available for the Buffalo dual on Feb. 18.
#2 Penn State 25, #13 Rutgers 15
January 28, 2018 – RAC – Piscataway, N.J.
125: #1 Nick Suriano RU pinned Devin Schnupp PSU, WBF (6:41) 0-6
133: #19 Scott Delvecchio RU dec. Corey Keener PSU, 6-2 0-9
141: #7 Nick Lee PSU dec. Michael Van Brill RU, 5-2 3-9
149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU maj. dec. #13 Eleazor DeLuca RU, 14-2 7-9
157: #17 John Van Brill RU inj. def. #1 Jason Nolf PSU, inj. def. (3:33) *6-15
165: #1 Vincenzo Joseph PSU dec. #11 Richie Lewis PSU, 5-4 9-15
174: #2 Mark Hall PSU tech fall Joe Grello RU, 24-9 (TF; 7:00) 14-15
184: #1 Bo Nickal PSU dec. #12 Nicholas Gravina RU, 6-5 17-15
197: Anthony Cassar PSU maj. dec. Anthony Messner RU, 16-5 21-15
285: #6 Nick Nevills PSU maj. dec. Ralph Normandia RU, 21-7 25-15
* Penn State loses team point for unsportsmanlike conduct
Attendance: 8,319
Records: Penn State 11-0, 7-0 B1G; Rutgers 5-5, 1-4 B1G
Up Next for Penn State: home vs. Ohio State, Saturday, Feb. 3 in Rec Hall, 8 p.m. (BTN)
