Penn State wrestling cruises past Northern Iowa, rallies late over Cornell in Collegiate Duals
The opening night of the Collegiate Duals was a roller coaster ride for Penn State wrestling on Monday.
The No. 2 Nittany Lions opened with a 29-9 rout of No. 22 Northern Iowa. However, against No. 11 Cornell in the nightcap, Penn State was up-and-down, and rallied for a 21-16 win.
By going 2-0 and winning their pool, the Nittany Lions will take on No. 6 Arizona State at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
As it did in both duals, Penn State trailed after the 125 pound match. Against Cornell, the Big Red’s Vito Arujau dropped down from 133 pounds and pinned Jake Campbell in 58 seconds.
National champion Roman Bravo-Young used 10 takedowns to earn a 21-9 major decision over Dom LaJoie to pull the Nittany Lions within 6-4. Nick Lee followed at 141, and used a seven-point third period to earn a 13-3 major decision over Cole Handlovic. Lee’s win gave Penn State an 8-6 lead for only a moment.
Beau Bartlett had his hands full at 149 when he took on Cornell’s No. 1 Yianni Diakomihalis. Bartlett held his own early, by trailing 4-1 after one period. Diakomihalis’ relentless attack though proved too much as he racked up an 11-3 major decision to start a run of victories for the Big Red.
The Nittany Lions’ Joe Lee made his season debut at 157 pounds, and took on No. 25 Colton Yapoujian. Lee looked poised to pull of the upset, locking up a mearkle for a takedown and an early 2-0 lead. But Yapoujian was unfazed, escaping to close out the period.
In the second period, Yapoujian added another escape, and countered a Lee takedown attempt for a 4-2 lead after two periods. Neither wrestler scored in the third and Cornell’s lead grew to 13-8.
No. 9 Julian Ramirez had to fight off another upset-minded Penn State wrestler in Creighton Edsell at 165 pounds. Ramirez held a 5-2 lead to start the third period, but Edsell made it 5-5 late with a takedown. Ramirez got an escape, and had enough riding time to make it a 7-5 win. The Big Red led 16-8 heading to the Nittany Lions’ “murderer’s row.”
No. 1 Carter Starocci needed a full-third period ride out to edge No. 12 Chris Foca, 3-2. No. 1 Aaron Brooks opened his 184-pound bout by nearly pinning No. 15 Jonathan Loew early. Instead, the defending NCAA champion used five takedowns and four near-fall points to earn a 15-3 major decision.
Penn State was within 16-15 with two bouts left against Cornell.
No. 3 Max Dean, who was facing his former team, needed a takedown with 47 seconds remaining to earn a 4-2 win over No. 19 Jacob Cardenas. Dean’s win gave the Nittany Lions’ their first lead since Nick Lee’s win, 18-16.
No. 4 Greg Kerkvliet closed the dual out with a 5-0 defeat of No. 18 Lewis Fernandes.
Against Northern Iowa, Penn State won 7 of the 10 bouts. Bravo-Young, Nick Lee, Bartlett, Starocci, Brooks, Dean and Kerkvliet were the winners.
Bravo-Young, Lee, Starocci, Dean and Kerkvliet all earned bonus points. RBY had a pin in 4:34. Lee came up a point shy of a technical fall in an 18-4 rout.
Starocci used six takedowns to earn a 14-4 major decision. Dean nearly had a fall, but settled for a 19-3 technical fall in 5:21. Kerkvliet finished the dual out with as 12-1 major decision.
Bartlett and Brooks each had one-point victories. Bartlett used an escape and solid defense to earn a 4-3 win.
Brooks faced off with No. 4 Parker Keckeisen, who he beat in the NCAA semifinals last year on his way to the 184-pound title. Brooks’ takedown with 35 seconds in the second period helped him to a 2-2 tie to start the third period.
In the third period, Brooks earned an escape seven seconds into the period, and held off several Keckeisen shots to win 3-2.
Tony Nergon got another start for the Nittany Lions at 157 pounds, but he suffered a 5-2 loss.
No. 2 Penn State 29, No. 22 Northern Iowa 9
Monday at Niceville, Fl.
125: No. 10 Brody Teske, UNI, dec. Jacob Campbell, 2-0
133: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young, PSU, pinned Kyle Biscoglia, 4:34
141: No. 1 Nick Lee, PSU, major dec. No. 26 Cael Happel, 18-4
149: No. 22 Beau Bartlett, PSU, dec. No. 28 Triston Lara, 4-3
157: Derek Holschlag, UNI, dec. Tony Negron, 5-2
165: No. 23 Austin Yant, UNI, dec. No. 26 Creighton Edsell, 4-1
174: No. 1 Carter Starocci, PSU, major dec. Pat Schoenfelder, 14-4
184: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, PSU, dec. No. 4 Parker Keckeisen, 3-2
197: No. 3 Max Dean, PSU, tech. fall Noah Glaser, 19-3 (5:21)
285: No. 4 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, major dec. Tyrell Gordon, 12-1
Takedowns: UNI 3, PSU 25
Records: Northern Iowa 0-4, Penn State 6-0
No. 2 Penn State 21, No. 11 Cornell 16
Monday at Niceville, Fl.
125: No. 5 (133 lbs.) Vito Arujau, C, pinned Jacob Campbell, :58
133: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young, PSU, major dec. Dom LaJoie, 21-9
141: No. 1 Nick Lee, PSU, major dec. Cole Handlovic, 13-3
149: No. 1 Yianni Diakomihalis, C, major dec. Beau Bartlett, 11-3
157: No. 25 Colton Yapoujian, C, dec. Joe Lee, 4-2
165: No. 9 Julian Ramirez, C, dec. No. 26 Creighton Edsell, 7-5
174: No. 1 Carter Starocci, PSU, dec. No. 12 Chris Foca, 3-2
184: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, PSU, major dec. No. 15 Jonathan Loew, 15-3
197: No. 3 Max Dean, PSU, dec. No. 19 Jacob Cardenas, 4-2
285: No. 4 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, dec. No. 18 Lewis Fernandes,
Takedowns: Cornell 10, PSU 23
Records: Cornell 2-1, Penn State 7-0
Next match: Penn State at Maryland, Jan. 7, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published December 20, 2021 at 11:17 PM.
