Brad Pataky (photo Tom Labiosa, Penn State)
No. 2 Penn State Takes Down No. 15 Michigan 24-12 to Win 2011 Virginia Duals Championship
First Lion title at the event since 1991
#2 Penn State 24, #15 Michigan 12
January 8, 2011 - Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, Va.
125: Brad Pataky PSU dec. Sean Boyle UM, 8-2 3-0
133: #6 Andrew Long PSU maj. dec. #18 Zac Stevens UM, 12-3 7-0
141: #1 Kellen Russell UM dec. #7 Andrew Alton PSU, 2-1 7-3
149: #7 Frank Molinaro PSU dec. Eric Grajales UM, 6-2 10-3
157: #3 David Taylor PSU tech fall Aaron Hynes UM, 19-4 (TF; 4:53) 15-3
165: Dan Yates UM dec. James Vollrath PSU, 8-2 15-6
174: #2 Ed Ruth PSU pinned Jonathan Beck UM, WBF (1:06) 21-6
184: Hunter Collins UM dec. Nick Fischer PSU, 9-4 21-9
197: #15 Anthony Biondo UM dec. Justin Ortega PSU, 9-4 21-12
285: #7 Cameron Wade PSU dec. #8 Ben Apland UM, 3-0 24-12
Attendance: 2,600
Records: Penn State 11-0 (1-0 Big Ten), Michigan 4-2 (0-0 Big Ten)
Up Next for Penn State: Home vs. #20 Pittsburgh, Friday, Jan. 21, 6 p.m. in Rec Hall
Brad Pataky
(photo
Tom Labiosa, Penn State)
HAMPTON, Va.; January 8, 2011 - The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, ranked No. 2 nationally, dominated No. 15 Michigan 24-12 in the championship final of the 2011 Virginia Duals in Hampton, Va. The victory gave the Nittany Lions the Virginia Duals title for the first time since 1991 and keeps head coach Cael Sanderson's squad undefeated on the year.
Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) completed an undefeated weekend with a strong 8-2 win over Michigan's Sean Boyle at 125, giving Penn State an early 3-0 lead. All-American Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa) majored No. 18 Zac Stevens 12-3 at 133 to give the Lions a 7-0 lead after two bouts. In the dual's premier match-up, top-ranked Kellen Russell of Michigan notched another one point win over Penn State's seventh-ranked Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), 2-1, at 141. No. 7 Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) then dominated Eric Grajales 6-2 at 149, including 2:50 in riding time before freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), ranked No. 3 at 157, put on a clinic on his way to a 19-4 technical fall over Aaron Hynes.
With Penn State up 15-3, Michigan's Dan Yates posted a tough 8-2 win over Nittany Lion freshman James Vollrath (Richboro, Pa.), but that win was answered by Nittany Lion Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.). Ruth, ranked No. 2 at 174, pinned Michigan's Jonathan Beck at the 1:06 mark to put Penn State on top 21-6. Michigan's Hunter Collins then posted a 9-4 win over Lion sophomore Nick Fischer (Unionville, Pa.) at 184. Fischer had moved up a couple weight to take on the Wolverine. No. 15 Anthony Biondo of Michigan then downed Penn State's Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) 9-4 at 197, cutting Penn State's lead to 21-11. Nittany Lion junior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 7 at heavyweight, beat No. 9 Ben Apland 3-0 in the final bout to give the Lions the 24-12 final margin.
Penn State moves to l1-0 on the year, it's best since going 12-0 in 1971-72 (no losses or ties). Taylor was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler for his performance at 157 as well. Penn State won the takedown battle 19-8 and notched a 6-0 edge in bonus points. The title is Penn State's first at the event since winning the crown in 1991 and the Nittany Lions now own a 25-24 edge in the all-time series with the Wolverines. The two teams will meet again in Ann Arbor on Feb. 6 in the conference dual (this dual does not count as one of Penn State's eight Big Ten duals).
Penn State returns to action in a nationally televised home match-up with No. 21 Pittsburgh on Jan. 21. Action in the Big Ten Network live event begins at 6 p.m. in Rec Hall. Fans wishing to purchase single dual meet tickets for the 2010-11 Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling season can place their orders by calling 814-865-5555 or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office. The box office is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ticket pricing is $8 for adults and $5 for youth, and there will be a limit of eight tickets per order. Group sales are also available. The 2010-11 Penn State wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC(1390 AM)and WSQV(92.1 FM). All radio broadcasts are streamed live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package. The 2010-11 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) took on Michigan's Sean Boyle in a rematch of their meeting at the Southern Scuffle last week (won by Boyle 11-3). Pataky came out hot, shooting swiftly three times but not breaking through Boyle's defense. But on Pataky's fourth effort, the Lion senior got the takedown to take an early 2-0 lead. Pataky then turned Boyle for three back points and a 5-0 lead. Pataky spent the next minute trying to turn Boyle again. Boyle fought off Pataky's efforts for back points but the Pataky ride out allowed the Lion to carry a 5-0 lead with 2:11 into the second period. Pataky chose down to start the middle stanza and used a shoulder roll to escape at the 1:22 mark. Boyle shot low and took Pataky down and in the process, Pataky took a long injury time out before the Lion senior was able to continue, still leading 6-2. Boyle then cut Pataky loose to a 7-2 Penn State lead, looking for another takedown. Pataky fought off a Boyle shot and carried the 7-2 lead with 1:13 in riding time into the third period. Boyle chose neutral to start the third period. Pataky got in low on Boyle's right leg, working long for another takedown, but Boyle was able to force a stalemate at the 1:14 mark. Pataky got in again on Boyle's right leg but another stalemate forced a reset with :17 left. Pataky's strong performance allowed the Nittany Lion senior to avenge the loss in the scuffle to win 8-2 and put Penn State up 3-0 early.
133: No. 6 Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa) took on Michigan's Zac Stevens, ranked No. 18, at 133. Long gained control of Stevens' arm, pulled him down to the mat and reached around the Wolverine for a takedown at the 1:59 mark. Stevens scrambled to an escape after a short Long ride. Long continued to pressure the ranked Wolverine, looking for an opening to pick up a second takedown. The Lion sophomore gained control of Stevens' left leg but the Michigan grappler was able to scoot off the mat to force a reset at the :23 mark. Long used a beautiful double leg to drive through Stevens at the :10 mark and, with the ride out, led 4-1 after the opening stanza. Long chose down to start the middle period and worked his way to an escape and a 5-1 lead with 1:20 on the clock. Long spent the next minute shooting Stevens off the mat, forcing the Wolverine into a stall warning with :50 on the clock. Long turned a double leg into a takedown with a nice side step on the edge of the mat to move out to a 7-1 lead and then added another ride out to carry that lead into the final period. Stevens chose down to start the final period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 deficit. Long caught Stevens with a shoulder throw, nearly turning him to his back. The takedown and a cut by Long gave him a 9-3 lead with 1:31 left. Long countered a low Stevens shot and added another takedown to lead 11-3 at the :50 mark. Long then rode the ranked Wolverine for the rest of the period and, with the bonus point, notched a convincing 12-3 major.
141: In one of the marquee battles of the tournament, Nittany Lion freshman Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 7 at 141, met top-ranked Kellen Russell of Michigan. The bout was a rematch of the Southern Scuffle semifinal from last week, won by Russell 4-3. Alton and Russell exchanged heated shots during the first :30, with neither man picking up a go-ahead takedown. The early flurry was followed by hand fighting in the center circle. After a scoreless first period, Russell chose down to start the second. Russell escaped at the 1:50 mark to lead 1-0. Russell began leaning on his collar ties to force Alton into a mistake, but the Penn State true freshman was able to keep Russell at bay. Down 1-0, Alton chose down to start the third period. Russell was able to gain control of Alton's arm, breaking the lion freshman down and building up over a minute's worth of riding time. Alton continued to work hard on the bottom, trying to escape to tie the bout, but Russell clinched the riding time point. Alton escaped with :05 left but Russell's 1:47 in riding time gave the top-ranked Wolverine the 2-1 win (his second one-point win over Alton), cutting Penn State's lead to 7-3.
149: No. 7 Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) battled Michigan's Eric Grajales at 149. The two-time All-American used a high double to take Grajales down and open up an early 2-0 lead with 1:56 left in the first period. Grajales escaped after a :40 ride, cutting the Lion's lead to 2-1. Neither man found an opening for the remainder of the period and action moved to the second period with Molinaro up by one. The Lion junior chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead. Molinaro turned a scramble in the middle of the mat into a second takedown and a 5-1 lead with 1:10 left in the period. Molinaro's strong ride forced Grajales into a first stall warning at the :18 mark. The ride-out allowed Molinaro to lead 5-1 with 1:44 in riding time heading into the final period. Grajales chose down to start the final period but Molinaro continued to punish the Wolverine, dominating action and clinching the riding time point. Molinaro cut Grajales loose at the :55 mark, looking for a possible major. But Grajales was able to fight off Molinaro's efforts and keep the damage to a minimum. Molinaro's 6-2 win put Penn State up 10-3.
157: Undefeated freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), ranked No. 3 at 157, met Wolverine Aaron Hynes. Taylor used a low single leg to notch his first takedown :30 into the bout and then began looking for a chance to turn Hynes for back points. Taylor got two back points and then cut Hynes loose with 1:00 on the clock. Taylor then used a quick duck-under for another takedown and a 6-3 lead after letting Hynes loose again. Taylor added another takedown and two more back points to lead 10-2 with 2:08 in time after the first period. Hynes chose neutral to start the second, but Taylor used an ankle pick to take Hynes down again and cut him loose to lead 12-3. Another Taylor takedown and three more back points upped his lead to 17-3. He cut Hynes loose with :20 left and picked up one final takedown at the 4:53 mark for the 19-4 technical fall.
165: Freshman James Vollrath (Richboro, Pa.) took to the mat at 165 for Penn State to meet Michigan's Dan Yates. Vollrath got in early on Yates' left leg and worked himself into an early takedown to lead 2-1 after a quick Yates escape with 2:25 left in the opening period. Yates tried to shoulder throw Vollrath a couple times but the Lion freshman was able to roll through each attempt and keep his slim lead. Yates nearly took the lead with a strong single leg on the edge of the mat but action moved out of bounds with :18 on the clock, forcing a reset. Leading by one, Vollrath chose down to start the second period. He tried to roll out of trouble but Yates was able to catch him and nearly pick up a stunning pin at the 1:35 mark. Yates' three back points allowed the Wolverine to take a 4-2 lead but Vollrath's effort to avoid the pin kept the bout alive. Yates was able to control the action from the top for the remainder of the period and led 4-2 with 1:54 in riding time heading into the final period. Yates chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 5-2 lead. Yates used a knee pick to take Vollrath down one more time and up his lead to 7-2 with a clinched riding time point a the :55 mark. The ride out gave Yates an 8-2 win and cut Penn State's lead to 15-6.
174: No. 2 Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) faced off against Michigan's Jonathan Beck at 174. Ruth quickly took Beck down and nearly pinned him with a far side cradle. The three back points and a Beck escape gave Ruth a 5-1 lead. Ruth notched another takedown and cut Beck loose, took him down and this time completed the cradle to get a quick pin at the 1:06 mark.
184: With All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) still recovering from injury, 165-pounder Nick Fischer (Unionville, Pa.) jumped up two weights to 184 to take on Michigan's Hunter Collins. Fischer worked his way into early control of Collins' leg, but the Wolverine countered and scrambled his way to a takedown and a 2-0 lead at the 2:21 mark. Fischer escaped and action resumed in the center circle with 1:56 left in the opening period. Collins added another takedown with 1:10 on the clock. Collins then rode Fischer out to carry the 4-1 lead with nearly 2:00 in riding time into the second period. Fischer chose down but Collins was able to control the action from the top again. Fischer escaped at the :15 mark to cut the lead to 4-2, but Collins had already clinched the riding time point. Collins chose down to start the third period and reversed the Lion sophomore to up his lead to 6-2. Fischer escaped, but Collins was able to take him down quickly again to lead 8-4 after cutting the Lion loose. Collins went on to post the 9-4 win and cut Penn State's lead to 21-9.
197: Sophomore Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) got met No. 15 Anthony Biondo of Michigan at 197. Biondo scored quickly, taking a 2-0 lead and then put together a strong ride, trying to turn Ortega for back points. But Ortega was able to fight off the turning opportunities until he escaped at the :48 mark. Leading 2-1 with 2:04 in riding time, Biondo chose down to start the second period and quickly reversed Ortega to up his lead to 4-1. Biondo rode Ortega out again and led 4-1 with a clinched riding time point heading into the third period. Ortega chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped, but Biondo answered with a takedown to up his lead to 6-2 with 1:14 on the clock. Biondo cut Ortega loose and took him down again to open up an 8-3 lead. Biondo worked to turn Ortega but the Lion was able to keep off his back until he was cut loose by Biondo at the :22 mark. Biondo went on to notch the strong 8-4 win with 4:33 in riding time to cut Penn State's lead to 21-11.
285: In a battle of ranked heavyweights, No. 7 Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) looked to bounce back from an upset loss against Kent State against No. 8 Ben Apland of Michigan. The bout was a rematch of the Southern Scuffle title bout, won by Wade 4-2 with a late two-point tilt. The duo spent the first half of the opening period trading barbs in the center circle. Wade countered a loose Apland shot at the :31 mark, taking a 2-0 lead in front of the Michigan bench. Wade then rode Apland out to carry that 2-0 lead into the middle period. Apland chose neutral to start the second period and the duo spent the middle period looking for openings. Neither man could score and action moved to the third period with Wade leading 3-0. Wade chose down to start the third and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. The bout would end with that same score as Wade posted the hard-fought 3-0 win and give the Nittany Lions a 24-12 win and the Virginia Duals title.
Frank Molinaro (photo
Tom Labiosa, Penn State)
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Second-Ranked Nittany Lion Wrestlers Down No. 23 Kent State 27-15 to Advance to Virginia Duals Title Tilt
Brad Pataky pins No. 10 Nic Bedelyon to lead Lions into tonight's championship dual
HAMPTON, Va.; January 8, 2011 - The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, ranked No. 2 nationally, downed No. 23 Kent State 27-15 in the semifinals of the 2011 Virginia Duals. Penn State, the tournament's top seed, will now take on No. 15 Michigan tonight at 8:30 p.m. here in the Hampton Coliseum. The Nittany Lions used an early flurry of pins and bonus points to stave off a late Kent State rally.
Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) gave notice that he's rounding back into form by pinning No. 10 Nic Bedelyon in the opening bout at 125. The fall came at the 4:02 mark and put Penn State up 6-0 early. No. 6 Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa) followed with a workmanlike 6-1 win at 133 before Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) pinned Kent State veteran Chase Skonieczny at the 3:23 mark. The pin was Alton's 15th of the year and tied him for fifth on PSU's all-time single season pins list. Two-time All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 7 at 149, got a dominating 8-0 major and third-ranked freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) posted another technical fall (this one a 19-4 dismantling of Matt Cathell at the 4:40 mark).
Kent State broke into the scoring column when Ross Tice posted an 8-2 decision over Lion freshman Jake Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa.) at 165. No. 2 Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) posted a hard-fought 11-8 win over Kent State's Brandon Johnson at 174 before Casey Newburg picked up a win over PSU 165-pounder Nick Fischer (Unionville, Pa.) at 184. The Flash also got a pin at 197 from No. 8 Dustin Kilgore. At heavyweight, Penn State suffered a tough upset loss as No. 13 Brendan Barlow downed No. 7 Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) 10-5 to make the final score 27-15 in Penn State's favor.
Penn State moves to l0-0 on the year, it's best start since going 12-0 in 1971-72 (no losses or ties). The Nittany Lions won six of the ten bouts but posted a decisive 9-3 edge in bonus points. Penn State and Kent State tied 15-15 in the takedown battle as the Golden Flash upper weights dominated the action after the Nittany Lions bolted out to the big lead.
Head coach Cael Sanderson's squad meets No. 15 Michigan tonight at 8:30 p.m. in the tournament's championship bout. Michigan upset No. 9 Lehigh in the other semifinal. Penn State's next home dual is a nationally televised match-up with No. 21 Pittsburgh on Jan. 21. Action in the Big Ten Network live event begins at 6 p.m. in Rec Hall. Fans wishing to purchase single dual meet tickets for the 2010-11 Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling season can place their orders by calling 814-865-5555 or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office. The box office is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ticket pricing is $8 for adults and $5 for youth, and there will be a limit of eight tickets per order. Group sales are also available. The 2010-11 Penn State wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC(1390 AM)and WSQV(92.1 FM). All radio broadcasts are streamed live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package. The 2010-11 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
#2 Penn State 27, #23 Kent State 15
January 8, 2011 - Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, Va.
125: Brad Pataky PSU pinned #10 Nick Bedelyon KSU, WBF (4:02) 6-0
133: #6 Andrew Long PSU dec. Tyler Small KSU, 6-1 9-0
141: #7 Andrew Alton PSU pinned Chase Skonieczny KSU, WBF (3:32) 15-0
149: #7 Frank Molinaro PSU maj. dec. Marcel Clopton KSU, 8-0 19-0
157: #3 David Taylor PSU tech fall Matt Cathell KSU, 19-4 (TF; 4:40) 24-0
165: Ross Tice KSU dec Jake Kemerer PSU, 8-2 24-3
174: #2 Ed Ruth PSU dec. Brandon Johnson, 11-8 27-3
184: Casey Newburg KSU dec. Nick Fischer PSU, 6-2 27-6
197: #8 Dustin Kilgore KSU pinned Justin Ortega PSU, WBF (4:59) 27-12
285: #13 Brendan Barlow KSU dec. #7 Cameron Wade PSU, 10-5 27-15
Attendance: 3,100
Records: Penn State 10-0 (1-0 Big Ten), Kent State 5-5
Up Next for Penn State: vs. #15 Michigan, championship final, tonight at 8:3 p.m.
==============
Cameron Wade (photo Tom Labiosa, Penn State)
No. 2 Penn State Thumps Edinboro 37-12 to Advance to Semifinals of 2011 Virginia Duals
No. 7 Molinaro majors No. 14 Gillespie in key bout at 149
HAMPTON, Va.; January 7, 2011 - The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, ranked No. 2 nationally, entered the 2011 Virginia Duals as the top seed and advanced to the tournament semifinals with a 37-12 thumping of Edinboro in the second round of the event. No. 7 Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) majored No. 14 Torsten Gillespie in the dual's marquee bout at 149.
Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) got things started again, this time getting a pin at 125. Penn State followed that pin up with five straight majors to put the Fighting Scots to rest early. No. 6 Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa) majored Eric Morrill at 133, No. 7 Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) got a major at 141 before Molinaro majored Gillespie 10-2 in the dual's highlighted bout. No. 3 David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) completely dominated Edinboro's Josh Greisheimer, notching a lopsided 25-12 win. Freshman James Vollrath (Richboro, Pa.) got the call at 165 and posted a 13-3 major, putting Penn State up 26-0.
Freshman Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 2 at 174, posted a 20-5 technical fall at 174 to push the Lions out to a 31-0 lead before Edinboro got on the board. The Scots got a pin from No. 3 Chris Honeycutt at 184 and a pin from Shawn Fendone at 197 to score 12 straight points. But Penn State's Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 7 at heavyweight, put an exclamation point on Penn State's win with a fall at the 2:07 mark to give the Lions the 37-12 win.
The win gives Penn State a 9-0 record heading into tomorrow's semifinal match against No. 23 Kent State. The 9-0 start is Penn State's best since going 12-0 during the 1971-72 season (no ties or losses). The Nittany Lions racked up a 40-6 takedown edge and, in two duals today, had a 72-12 margin. Penn State also picked up 13 bonus points against the Scots, giving the Lions 28 in two duals.
The duals continue for Penn State on Saturday. Head coach Cael Sanderson's Nittany Lions will face No. 23 Kent State at 2 p.m. tomorrow in the semifinals. Penn State's next home dual is a nationally televised match-up with No. 21 Pittsburgh on Jan. 21. Action in the Big Ten Network live event begins at 6 p.m. in Rec Hall. Fans wishing to purchase single dual meet tickets for the 2010-11 Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling season can place their orders by calling 814-865-5555 or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office. The box office is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ticket pricing is $8 for adults and $5 for youth, and there will be a limit of eight tickets per order. Group sales are also available. The 2010-11 Penn State wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC(1390 AM)and WSQV(92.1 FM). All radio broadcasts are streamed live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package. The 2010-11 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
#2 Penn State 37, Edinboro 12
January 7, 2011 - Hampton Coliseum - Hampton, Va.
125: Brad Pataky PSU pinned Bijan Banks EU (WBF 1:37) 6-0
133: #6 Andrew Long PSU maj. dec. Eric Morrill EU, 17-7 10-0
141: #7 Andrew Alton PSU maj. dec. Kasey Davis EU, 21-8 14-0
149: #7 Frank Molinaro PSU maj. dec. #14 Torsten Gillespie EU, 10-2 18-0
157: #3 David Taylor PSU maj. dec. Josh Greisheimer EU, 25-12 22-0
165: James Vollrath PSU maj. dec. Ethan Saylor EU, 13-3 26-0
174: #2 Ed Ruth PSU tech fall Chris Hrunka EU, 20-5 (TF; 5:42) 31-0
184: #3 Chris Honeycutt EU pinned Andrew Church PSU (WBF 1:28) 31-6
197: Shawn Fendone EU pinned Justin Ortega PSU (WBF 2:45) 31-12
258: #7 Cameron Wade PSU pinned Ernest James EU (WBF 2:07) 37-12
Attendance: 1,800
Records: Penn State 9-0 (1-0 Big Ten), Edinboro 2-6-1
Up Next for Penn State: vs. No. 23 Kent State, semifinals, 2 p.m. tomorrow
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) got the nod at 125 for Penn State and faced off against Bijan Banks of Edinboro in the bout's first match-up. Pataky wasted no time in taking a 2-0 lead with a fast double leg out of the gates. The Lion then turned the Scot for two near fall points and a 4-0 lead less than a minute into the bout. Another turn by Pataky led to two more back points and a 6-0 lead before a reset at the 1:42 mark. Pataky then reset, turned Banks, and got the fall at the 1:37 mark.
133: All-American Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa), ranked No. 6 at 133, took on talented Fighting Scot Eric Morrill in his second Bout as a Nittany Lion. Morrill, a qualifier last year, got the bout's first takedown to move out to an early 2-0 lead on Long. Long quickly escaped and turned into Morrill with 2:04 left on the clock. He then countered a Morrill shot, worked his way behind the Scot and took a 3-2 lead with his first takedown. Morrill escaped to a 3-3 tie, but Long caught him with a high throw quickly, took him to his back for three near fall points and led 8-4 after cutting Morrill loose. Morrill picked up a second takedown, but Long escaped quickly to take a 9-6 lead into the second period. Long chose down to start the second and quickly escaped to a 10-6 lead. Long forced a scramble on the edge of the mat and, after some work, got the takedown with :32 left to up his lead to 12-6. Long's strong ride out forced Morrill into a stall warning before the period ended and the Lion led 12-6 with :53 in time after two. Morrill chose down to start the third but could not break free of Long's dominance on top. Another Morrill stall gave Long a 13-7 lead after he cut Morrill loose. Long continued to scramble, looking to notch a major against the veteran NCAA qualifier. Long picked up another stall point and notched a takedown with :23 on the clock to move out to a 16-7 lead and secure bonus points. Long's 17-7 win put Penn State up 10-0.
141: True freshman Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 7 nationally at 141, faced off against Edinboro's Kasey Davis. Davis dove in low on Alton right out of the gates and took the Lion freshman down early to lead 2-1 after a quick Alton escape. But Alton answered with his own takedown to lead 3-2 less than :30 into the bout. Davis escaped at the 1:54 mark to tie the score and Alton went back to work, picking up a quick takedown seconds later to move out to a 5-3 lead. Alton cut Davis loose at the :55 mark and immediately began looking for another takedown. Davis nearly caught Alton for a quick score on the edge of the mat but action moved out of bounds and Alton maintained his 5-4 lead. Alton's pressure forced Davis into a stall and Alton answered with a quick takedown to lead 7-4 after one period (with 1:56 in riding time). Davis chose down to start the second period but could not break free of a strong Alton ride. Alton maintained control of the Scot until cutting him loose at the 1:40 mark. Alton used a fake to Davis' shoulders to lead to a nice low double and a 9-5 lead with another takedown. Alton cut Davis loose again but Alton immediately went to his shoulders, worked behind him, and got another takedown to lead 11-6 with :40 left in the period. Alton's ride-out allowed the Lion to lead 11-6 with a clinched bonus point (3:37 in time) after two periods. Alton chose down to start the third and quickly escaped for a 12-6 lead. Alton picked up a stall point and added a takedown before cutting Davis loose to lead 15-7 with :56 left. Alton picked up a stall point and two more takedowns to post the 21-8 major (with 4:19 in riding time). The win put Penn State up 14-0.
149: All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 7 at 149, met No. 14 Torsten Gillespie of Edinboro in the dual's marquee match-up. Molinaro got on the board at the 1:00 mark with a solid takedown which he followed up with a dominating ride. Molinaro maintained control of the ranked Scot grappler for the rest of the period, building up a daunting 2:00 time edge with the ride-out. Molinaro chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped for a 3-0 lead. Molinaro countered a slight Gillespie shot for a 5-0 lead with :25 left in the middle stanza. Another Molinaro ride out allowed him to lead 5-0 after two periods. Gillespie chose down to start the third and Molinaro cut him loose to a 5-1 lead with a clinched riding time point. Molinaro picked up another takedown with :30 left and cut him loose with just :20 left, hoping for one more takedown and a major. Molinaro used a high double with :02 left to secure the major and the 10-2 win over the 14th-ranked Gillespie.
157: No. 3 David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) looked to remain unbeaten on the year at 157 against Edinboro's Josh Greisheimer. Taylor dominated the match-up from start to finish. The freshman Lion notched two takedowns in just 1:00 and cut Greisheimer loose to a 4-2 lead with 1:55 on the clock. Taylor added a third takedown shortly after that and then began dominating Greisheimer with a strong ride turning him quickly but not picking up any near fall points. Taylor rode Greisheimer out to lead 6-2 with 1:55 in time after one period. Taylor chose down to start the second stanza and quickly reversed him for an 8-3 lead (after cutting him loose). Taylor added yet another takedown to up his lead t o 10-3. Taylor would continue to add takedowns and cuts while building up a 16-6 lead. Greisheimer notched his first takedown at the :18 mark to cut the lead to 16-8 as the period ended. Greisheimer chose neutral to start the third period but Taylor continued to pile on the takedowns, picking up five more takedowns to notch the 25-12 major with nearly 3:00 in riding time.
165: Red-shirt freshman James Vollrath (Richboro, Pa.) met Ethan Saylor of Edinboro at 165. Vollrath took an early lead with a takedown at the 2:01 mark. Vollrath then put together a strong ride, looking for a turning combination and getting the back points a minute into his ride. The three near fall points put Vollrath up 5-0. Vollrath rode Saylor out to lead 5-0 with 2:00 in time after one period. Vollrath chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 6-0 lead. Vollrath added another takedown quickly after escaping and then cut Saylor loose to lead 8-1. Vollrath added another takedown before the period ended to lead 10-1 heading into the third. Saylor chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 10-2 deficit. A fourth Vollrath takedown gave the Lion a 12-2 lead with a clinched riding time point. Saylor managed another escape but with the riding time point posted a 13-3 major, putting Penn State up 26-0.
174: Red-shirt freshman Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 2 nationally at 174, met Chris Hrunka of Edinboro. Ruth notched the first takedown at the 2:07, cut Hrunka loose, took him down again, cut him and took him down one more time to lead 6-2. Ruth picked one more takedown up as the period ended and led 8-3 with 1:30 in time after one period. Hrunka chose down to start the middle stanza but Ruth was once again dominant on top. Ruth added three near fall points before Hrunka escaped and the Lion freshman led 11-4 with just :30 on the clock. Ruth used a low double to pick up one more takedown to lead 13-4 at the end of two periods with 3:05 in riding time. Ruth chose down to start the period, quickly escaped and picked up another takedown, all in just :14 seconds. Ruth began to pile up the points with another takedown and two more back points for
184: With All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) still recovering from injury, Andrew Church (Erie, Pa.) took to the mat for Penn State at 184 to face off against No. 3 Chris Honeycutt of Edinboro. Honeycutt got an early takedown to lead 2-0. The ranked Scot then turned Church to his back to pick up the pin at the 1:28 mark, cutting Penn State's lead to 31-6.
197: Sophomore Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) met veteran Fighting Scot Shawn Fendone at 197. Fendone got the early takedown and added two near fall points, reset himself and then picked up three more to lead 7-0 with 1:15 on the clock. Fendone added three more near fall points to up his lead to 10-0. He then turned Ortega once more and this time worked himself to a pin at the 2:24 mark, cutting Penn State's lead to 31-12.
285: Junior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked 7 at heavyweight, took on Edinboro's Ernest James in the final bout of the dual. Wade worked himself into an early takedown to lead 2-0 midway through the period. The Lion junior then turned the Scot big man for back points, reset himself and then picked up the quick pin at the 2:07 mark. The pin gave Penn State a convincing 37-12 win.
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No. 2 Penn State Hammers VMI in Opening Round of 2011 Virginia Duals
Wade dominates No. 14 Wine in marquee match-up at heavyweight
HAMPTON, Va.; January 7, 2011 €“ The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, ranked No. 2 nationally, entered the 2011 Virginia Duals as the top seed and posted a 42-3 dismantling of VMI in the opening round in the Hampton Coliseum. Penn State won all but one bout and will take on eighth-seeded Edinboro in the second round today at 1 p.m. Junior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 7 at heavyweight, dominated No. 14 Josh Wine of VMI in the dual€™s marquee match-up.
Penn State rolled up three pins, three technical falls and a major in the victory. Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) started things off in fine fashion with a 21-4 technical fall win at 125. All-American Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa), ranked No. 6 at 133, made his Penn State debut with a bang, pinning VMI€™s Luke Todd at the 2:44 mark of the first period and No. 7 Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) got his 14th pin of the year with a fall at the 3:41 mark at 141. All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 7 at 149, picked up a tech fall himself and freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), ranked No. 3 at 157, got a first period pin of his own at 157 (2:27).
Freshman Jake Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa.) notched a tough 6-5 win over VMI€™s Joseph Munno at 165 and No. 2 Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) posted ten takedowns and two reversals for a 24-9 tech fall. Because Ruth had no near falls, it was a four-point tech fall and put Penn State up 35-0. VMI got its lone win at 184 with Chris Dommert posted an 8-4 decision over freshman Andrew Church (Erie, Pa.). Sophomore Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) posted a strong 8-0 major at 197, setting up the heavyweight battle between No. 7 Wade and No. 14 Wine. Wade forced the issue from the outside; picking up an early stall point and rolling to a 7-3 win over Wine. The decision gave Penn State the 42-3 win and kept the Lions undefeated on the year.
The win improves Penn State to 8-0, its best start (unbeaten or untied) since beginning the 1988-89 season 8-0. Penn State collected 15 bonus points thanks to the three pins, three techs and a major. Alton's 14th pin now has him alone in sixth place (just one out of fifth) on Penn State€™s all-time pins-in-a-season list.
The duals continue for Penn State today at 1 p.m. as Cael Sanderson€™s Lions take on Edinboro in the second round at 1 p.m. Penn State€™s next home dual is a nationally televised match-up with No. 21 Pittsburgh on Jan. 21. Action in the Big Ten Network live event begins at 6 p.m. in Rec Hall. Fans wishing to purchase single dual meet tickets for the 2010-11 Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling season can place their orders by calling 814-865-5555 or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office. The box office is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ticket pricing is $8 for adults and $5 for youth, and there will be a limit of eight tickets per order. Group sales are also available. The 2010-11 Penn State wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting€™s WRSC€ˆ(1390 AM)€ˆand WSQV€ˆ(92.1 FM). All radio broadcasts are streamed live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package. The 2010-11 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
#2 Penn State 42, VMI 3
January 7, 2011 -Hampton Coliseum €“ Hampton, Va.
125: Brad Pataky PSU 21-4 tech fall Jonathan Pope VMI 21-4 (TF; 7:00) 5-0
133: #6 Andrew Long PSU WBF Luke Todd VMI (2:44) 11-0
141: #7 Andrew Alton PSU WBF David Yost VMI (3:41) 17-0
149: #7 Frank Molinaro PSU tech fall Rennie Merhige VMI 19-4 (TF; 7:00) 22-0
157: #3 David Taylor PSU WBF Nick Emison VMI (2:27) 28-0
165: Jake Kemerer PSU dec. Joseph Munno VMI, 6-5 31-0
174: #2 Ed Ruth PSU tech fall Matthew Brock VMI, 24-9 (TF; 5:09) 35-0
184: John Dommert VMI dec. Andrew Church PSU, 8-4 35-3
197: Justin Ortega PSU maj. dec. Chris Gill VMI, 8-0 39-3
285: #7 Cameron Wade dec. #14 Josh Wine VMI, 7-3 42-3
Attendance: TBA
Records: Penn State 8-0 (1-0 Big Ten), VMI (2-1)
Up Next for Penn State: vs. Edinboro in Round Two, today, 1 p.m.
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Senior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) got the nod at 125 for Penn State and faced off against Jonathan Pope of VMI. Pataky got the first takedown midway through the first period and quickly added two near fall points to move out to a 4-0 lead at the 1:00 mark. The Lion senior maintained control of Pope for the remainder of the period to carry that lead with 1:23 in riding time heading into the second period. Pataky chose down and quickly escaped to a 5-0 lead, but Pope countered with a takedown. Pataky escaped and then stormed Pope for a takedown and two three point near falls to lead 14-2 after the second period. Pope chose neutral to start the third and quickly took Pataky down to cut the lead to 14-4 with 1:50 left in the bout. Pataky reversed Pope and added two near fall points to up his lead to 18-4, added two near fall points and the buzzer and posted the 21-4 tech fall at the 7:00 mark. The win put PSU up 5-0.
133: All-American Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa), ranked No. 6 at 133, made his Penn State debut against VMI€™s Luke Todd. Long got his first Penn State takedown early in the first period and tacked on a quick two near fall points to lead 4-0 less than a minute in. Long added a second takedown and two near fall points to up his lead to 8-1 with 1:02 left. Todd notched his second escape after a reset and action resumed in the center circle. Long wasted no time ending the mat, however, with a high takedown that put Todd to his back. The sophomore All-American adjusted nicely and got the pin at the 2:44 mark in his Penn State debut.
141: True freshman Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 7 nationally at 141, faced off against VMI€™s David Yost. Alton quickly took Yost down using a low single, then turned the Keydet grappler for two back points to lead 4-0. Yost escaped after Alton built up a 1:07 riding time edge, only to get taken down by Alton again. Another Yost escape and Alton takedown led to a Lion ride out and Alton led 8-2 with 2:19 in time after one period. Alton quickly took Yost down and after a little work, gained control of his shoulders and turned him to his back for a pin at the 3:41 mark. The fall, Alton€™s 14th of the year, put Penn State up 17-0 after three bouts.
149: All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 7 at 149, met Keydet Rennie Merhige. Molinaro got the first takedown of the bout a minute into the bout to take a 2-0 lead. The Lion All-American put together a strong ride, maintaining control Merhige and worked his way into a split scissors to take a 5-0 lead at the end of the first period (with 2:01 in riding time). Molinaro chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 6-0 lead. Molinaro countered a Merhige shot for another takedown and an 8-0 lead with 1:00 left in the middle period. He then rode Merhige out to lead 8-0 with more than three minutes in riding time after two periods. Merhige chose down and escaped :30 into the period but got hit with a stall point. Molinaro quickly added two takedowns to up his lead to 13-3 (cutting Merhige loose each time) with :40 left in the bout. Molinaro added two more takedowns, picked up a stall point and a riding time point to post a dominating 19-4 tech fall at the 7:00 mark.
157: Red-shirt freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) looked to remain unbeaten on the year at 157 against VMI€™s Nick Emison. Taylor, ranked No. 3 nationally, got a quick takedown ad cut Emison loose for an early 2-1 lead. Taylor used a low ankle pick to up his lead to 4-1 with 2:07 on the clock. He added three near fall points, let Emison up and took him down again to lead 9-2 with :50 left. Another turn led to a quick Taylor pin at the 2:27 mark and Penn State led 28-0 after five bouts.
165: Red-shirt freshman Jake Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa.) met Joseph Munno of VMI. Neither wrestler managed a takedown during the opening period, heading to the second stanza scoreless. Kemerer chose down to start the middle period, quickly escaped and got his first takedown right away to lead 3-0. Munno escaped to cut the lead to 3-1 with 1:10 left. Kemerer carried that lead into the third period. Munno chose down to start the third and quickly escaped to a 3-2 deficit. But Kemerer added a second takedown and led 5-3 after a Munno escape. Munno got his first takedown at the 1:10 mark to tie the bout at 5-5. Kemerer escaped to lead 6-5 with :50 on the clock. The wrestlers battled evenly for the remainder of the bout and Kemerer escaped with a 6-5 win, keeping the shutout in tact as Penn State lead 31-0.
174: Red-shirt freshman Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 2 nationally at 174, met Matthew Brock of VMI. Ruth quickly took Brock down to lead 2-0 out of the gates. He cut Brock loose, took him down, cut him a second time and picked up a third takedown and cut to lead 6-3 with just over 1:00 left in the opening period. Ruth ended the first period with a total of seven takedowns to lead 14-6 with 1:05 in riding time after one period. Ruth chose down to start the second period, reversed Brock and cut him loose to lead 16-7. Ruth stacked up three more takedowns to lead 22-9 with nearly 2:00 in time. Brock chose top, but Ruth quickly reversed him and with that move, notched the 24-9 tech fall at the 5:09 mark. The win, a four-point tech fall, put Penn State up 35-0.
184: With All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) still recovering from injury, Andrew Church (Erie, Pa.) took to the mat for Penn State at 184 to face off against VMI€™s John Dommert. Dommert got in on an early high single leg and took a 2-0 lead with :58 left in the opening period. Church escaped but Dommert took the young Lion down again to lead 4-1 after the opening period. Dommert chose down to start the second period and, after a brief Church ride, reversed Church to take a 6-1 lead. Church continued to battle, however, picking up a reversal of his own to cut the lead to 6-3 with :22 left in the second period. Trailing 6-3, Church chose down to start the third and quickly escaped to a 6-4 deficit. Church upped the pressure on Dommert and began working his way for a tying takedown. Dommert was able to fight off one strong Church shot at the 1:00 mark and then added a clinching takedown with :15 left to post the 8-4 win and help VMI avoid a shutout.
197: With freshman Nick Ruggear (Oxford, Pa.) sidelined for the weekend with a slight injury, sophomore Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) stepped in at 197 for the Nittany Lions and took on Chris Gill of VMI. Ortega got the bout€™s first takedown at the :44 mark and rode Chris Gill out to lead 2-0 after one period. Gill chose neutral to start the second period but Ortega continued to pressure the Keydet grappler and picked up a second takedown to lead 4-0 with 1:20 left on the clock. Ortega rode Gill out to lead 4-0 with 2:13 in riding time heading into the third. Ortega chose down to start the final stanza and escaped to a 5-0 lead. Hoping to get a major, Ortega gained control of Gill€™s left leg, pulled the Keydet on to the mat and got the takedown with :20 left. A ride out and the bonus point gave Ortega the 8-0 major and put Penn State up 39-3.
285: Junior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked 7 at heavyweight, met No. 14 Josh Wine of VMI in the dual€™s marquee match-up. Wade was the aggressor early in the bout, forcing Wine into a stall warning at the 1:20 mark. Wine continued to work the edge of the mat and keep Wade form finishing one of his many shots and the bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Wine chose neutral to start the second period and continued to back off the mat. He gave up a stall point at the 1:38 mark and Wade led 1-0. Wade forced a scramble and got his first takedown at the :39 mark to lead 3-0 before Wine took an injury timeout. Wade turned Wine to his back for two near fall points, but in the process of trying to pin him, Wade allowed Wine to reverse him and cut the Lion€™s lead to 5-2 after two periods. Wade chose down to start the third period and worked his way to a reversal to move out to a 7-2 lead. Wine scrambled his way to an escape at the 1:20 mark and in the process and Wade called for an injury timeout himself at the1:03 mark. Wade returned to action after a brief check from the Penn State medical crew and action resumed in the center circle with Wade up 7-3 with :42 on the clock. That final score would stand and the 7-3 decision gave Penn State the 42-3 win.
Patrick Donghia
Penn State Wrestling Twitter: http://twitter.com/pennstatepat
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Assistant Director of Athletics Communication
Ph: 814 865 1757
email: pad11@psu.edu