Shorthanded Penn State wrestlers fight for 20-16 win at Penn
PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (4-0, 0-0 B1G), ranked No. 2 in the latest InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI), posted a hard-fought 20-16 win at Penn (0-1) in a non-conference road dual in Philadelphia. With three returning All-Americans out, Penn State still won six of nine contested bouts and gave up one forfeit.
The dual began at 125 where sophomore Baylor Shunk (Centre Hall, Pa.) lost 8-2 to Penn’s Ryan Miller. With No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young out, junior Brandon Meredith (Limerick, Pa.) stepped in at 133 and suffered a 10-2 major against No. 12 Michael Colaiocco and the Nittany Lions trailed 7-0 early.
No. 1 Nick Lee returned to action at 141 and notched the bout’s only takedowns in a 6-3 win over No. 28 Carmen Ferrante, cutting the Penn lead to 7-3. Sophomore Beau Bartlett (Tempe, Ariz.), ranked No. 20 at 149, was involved in another thriller, taking No. 23 Anthony Artalona past extra time before using an escape to post a 4-3 (TB) win to bring Penn State to within one, 7-6. Sophomore Terrell Barraclough (Kaysville, Utah) lost a 4-2 decision to Doug Zapf at 157 and Penn State trailed 10-6 at the break.
Junior Creighton Edsell (Wyalusing, Pa.), ranked No. 32 at 165, picked up a critical win for Penn State. Edsell took No. 33 Lucas Revano into extra time before grabbing the 6-4 victory with a takedown midway through the extra period. Sophomore Carter Starocci (Erie, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 174, rolled over No. 21 Nick Incontrera, tallying five takedowns in a 13-3 major decision. His win put Penn State up 13-10.
With No. 1 Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Pa.) also not wrestling, sophomore Donovon Ball (New Cumberland, Pa.) got the nod at 184 and grabbed an impressive win, an 11-4 victory over Penn’s Jesse Martinez to give the Nittany Lions a 16-10 lead. Junior Max Dean (Lowell, Mich.), ranked No. 4 at 197, iced the dual with a 10-0 major over State College High grad Cole Urbas to give the Lions a 20-10 lead. With No. Greg Kerkvliet (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) out at 285 as well, Penn State forfeited heavyweight and settled for the 20-16 victory.
Penn State posted a 16-11 edge in takedowns. The Nittany Lions picked up two bonus points off two majors (Starocci, Dean).
Penn State is now 4-0 overall while Penn falls to 0-1. The Nittany Lions host Lehigh in Rec Hall on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m. in their next action.
#2 Penn State 20, Penn 16
December 3, 2021 – The Palestra – Philadelphia, Pa.
125: Ryan Miller PENN dec. Baylor Shunk PSU, 8-2 0-3
133: #12 Michael Colaiocco PENN maj. dec. Brandon Meredith PSU, 10-2 0-7
141: #1 Nick Lee PSU dec. #28 Carmen Ferrante PENN, 6-3 3-7
149: #20 Beau Bartlett PSU dec. #23 Anthony Artalona PENN, 4-3 (TB) 6-7
157: Doug Zapf PENN dec. Terrell Barraclough PSU, 4-2 6-10
165: #32 Creighton Edsell PSU dec. #33 Lucas Revano PENN, 6-4 (SV) 9-10
174: #1 Carter Starocci PSU maj. dec. #21 Nick Incontrera PENN, 13-3 13-10
184: Donovon Ball PSU dec. Jesse Martinez PENN, 11-4 16-10
197: #4 Max Dean PSU maj. dec. Cole Urbas PENN, 10-0 20-10
285: Ben Goldin PENN win by forfeit 20-16
Attendance: 3,272
Records: Penn State (4-0, 0-0 B1G); Penn (0-1)
Up Next for Penn State: Home vs. Lehigh, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2 p.m. in Rec Hall
