The biggest dual of the season is here as #1 Penn State hosts #2 Iowa in a sold out Bryce Jordan Center. There a numerous ways this dual could play out and include multiple swing matches and a possible super match to headline the dual. Penn State looks to keep their dual win-streak going and have not lost a dual since Iowa defeated them in Carver Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 31, 2020. Live updates and results will be updated as the dual goes on.
125: #1 Spencer Lee over Marco Vespa, 18-2 TF
No super match at 133-pounds, as Iowa’s #1 Spencer Lee stays at 125. Bumping up Lee would’ve put Iowa in a tough spot, but nevertheless disappointing.
Holy cow… Right off the whistle, Penn State’s Marco Vespa took down Spencer Lee, and nearly had a near-side cradle locked up to put Lee on his back. However, Lee was able to squirm out and earn a reversal to tie it back up at 2-2. Although Vespa was able to have Lee a little shook right off the whistle, Lee got right to work on top and locked up three straight tilts for 12 points and a tech fall for the Hawkeyes.
133: #1 Roman Bravo-Young over #17 Brody Teske, Fall
After a tenacious pursuit from Bravo-Young to start the first period, he got the first takedown and forced Teske to get hit for stalling in the opening minute of the bout. Bravo-Young looked great on top to finish the first period, something he’s been able to do all season long.
In the second period, Teske did a good job defending off Bravo-Young for majority of the period and had some Penn State fans frustrated. It didn’t take long for Bravo-Young to open up, as he scored off another sweep-single to take a 4-1 lead into the third.
It was more of the same in the third period, Teske doing whatever he could to defend off the pace of Bravo-Young. With short time on the clock, Bravo-Young pressed hard for another score for his major. Teske then shot in looking to hold on, but RBY’s short offense is so quick and he locked up a near-side cradle for a huge pin for Penn State at 133-pounds.
141: #2 Real Woods over #4 Beau Bartlett, 4-1
15 seconds into the bout, Penn State’s Beau Bartlett went hunting for a big headlock to put Woods in danger but it was called out of bounds. Woods then got to his attacks, scoring off a single-leg to put the first points on the board at 141-pounds. Woods finished the first period with a tough ride, accumulating over 1:40 of riding time.
Bartlett went down to start the second, and bounced right to his feet despite being ridden out for nearly two minutes in the first period. Both wrestlers were scrapping hard to earn a takedown to end the second period on top, but Woods keeps the lead at 2-1 going into the third.
Woods then got his chance to go down, and similarly got right to his feet to extend his lead to 3-1 with less than two minutes to wrestle. Bartlett had a few good looks to get in deep on a shot, but Woods’ defense was too strong and took a 4-1 victory.
149: #7 Max Murin over #13 Shayne Van Ness, 4-1
After a scrappy first period, the score remains at 0-0 going into the second. Both Murin and Van Ness had really close opportunities to score the opening takedown but neither could finish.
Van Ness got choice in the second, and went down on Murin who is known to be tough on top. Van Ness had a tough time getting to his feet, as Murin was pressuring in hard the whole period to prevent Van Ness’ escape. With 30 seconds left in the second period, Van Ness scooted out for a 1-0 lead. However, Murin racked up 1:30 of riding time in the second.
Van Ness had to answer Murin with a tough ride of his own, but Murin was out to his feet in 15 seconds. With the bout tied at 1-1, Van Ness was forced to push the pace because of the riding time advantage for Murin. That didn’t stop Murin, as he continued to attack and scored a takedown with 30 seconds to go and iced the bout for the Hawkeyes, big win.
157: #9 Levi Haines over #15 Cobe Siebrecht, 3-2
A lot of questions were swirling around 157-pounds, as Levi Haines has already used up all of his availability for his redshirt. Penn State answered those and sent Haines out to start for the Nittany Lions at 157-pounds against Iowa’s Cobe Siebrecht. Levi Haines got right after Siebrecht and nearly had two takedowns, but Siebrecht was able to scramble out of them for stalemates to end the first period.
Haines went down, and got right up after rolling through a big mat return from Siebrecht and took a 1-0 lead shortly into the second period. Neither wrestlers could find any more offense in the second, and the score stays at 1-0 in favor of Haines going into the third.
Siebrecht went down, and got right up to even the bout at 1-1. Seconds after, Haines darted in on a single and scored the first takedown of the bout to take a 3-1 lead. Siebrecht got to his feet, and had to send everything at Haines to get the win at 157, but it wasn’t enough as Haines got a much needed win for Penn State.
165: #13 Patrick Kennedy over #5 Alex Facundo, 2-1 TB
In a rematch of the 2019 Who’s #1 bout, Facundo and Kennedy square off with big implications on the line. The first period didn’t include much action, as both wrestlers were hand fighting and looking for an opening to score.
Kennedy got choice to start the second, and went down and right up to his feet within seconds to take a 1-0 lead. Both wrestlers are pretty even with each other on the feet with a couple of close calls, but no takedowns scored yet as the bout heads into the third period.
Facundo went down, and got right to his feet to tie the bout at 1-1. Once again, neither wrestler wanted risk giving up a takedown with short time, and this bout will head to sudden victory for the first time tonight.
Kennedy started sudden victory by getting in really deep on Facundo, but Facundo was able to defend off Kennedy before diving in on a shot of his own. Kennedy took advantage, and miraculously didn’t get the takedown over Facundo who showed amazing defense.
In the first tie breaker period, it took Kennedy just four seconds to get to his feet, and took the 2-1 lead.
Facundo took neutral to start the second tie breaker, and had 30 seconds to shut it down. Facundo was in deep, but couldn’t capitalize as Kennedy got another huge win for Iowa.
174: #1 Carter Starocci over #16 Nelson Brands, 2-1
After a scoreless period at 174-pounds, Iowa’s Nelson Brands did a great job preventing Starocci from getting to his legs. Although Brands wasn’t persistent, his defense gave Starocci some issues getting to his attacks in the opening period.
Starocci fought up and out to his feet to start the second period, and took a 1-0 lead early on. Starocci continued to fire in, but still had trouble getting to the legs despite Brands being called for stalling with short time in the second period.
Brands went down to start the third, and struggled getting to his feet. Starocci kept on with a super tough ride, and locked up riding time advantage. Brands got out with less than 30 seconds to go, and that’s when Brands started to open up a bit. Nevertheless, Penn State wins at 174.
184: #1 Aaron Brooks over Drake Rhodes, 22-7 TF
No Abe Assad for the Hawkeyes, and Penn State’s Aaron Brooks took advantage as he got right to work in the first period. Brooks racked up three takedowns, and a tilt for four back-points and a 10-2 lead to finish the opening period.
Brooks kept the motor running fast in the second, scoring three more takedowns at will. Brooks was unstoppable, just 3 points shy of a tech fall to end the second.
Rhodes had no answer for Brooks’ pace, as Brooks scored twice more to earn himself a 22-7 tech fall at 184-pounds.
197: #4 Max Dean over #7 Jacob Warner, 2-0
After a scoreless first period, Penn State’s Max Dean got on the board first with an escape to take a 1-0 lead into the third period.
Warner surprisingly went down to start the third period, and Dean went right to work on top, threatening with his dangerous turns on top. With short time left in the third period, Dean was hanging on for a ride-out, and he got it. Dean’s toughness on top proves once again to win him huge matches, and without a pin from Cassioppi at 285, PSU has locked up the dual.
285: #2 Greg Kerkvliet over #3 Tony Cassioppi, 4-1
Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet got on the board first with a beautiful snatch-single for the first takedown of the match. Cassioppi was right back to his feet, but took the deficit heading into the second period.
Cassioppi went down to start the second, but Kerkvliet was determined to ride out Cassioppi in the second period. Kerkvliet did just that, riding out Cassioppi for the entirety of the second period and held a 2-1 lead with over 2:25 of riding time going into the final period.
In the third period, it stayed neutral. Kerkvliet got to his feet right away and held off Cassioppi for the rest of the third period to clinch the win over Iowa.
FINAL: Penn State over Iowa. 23-14
