UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1, 1-0 B1G), ranked No. 2 in the latest InterMat Tournament Power Index, won the last four bouts against No. 24 Illinois (3-2, 0-1 B1G) to pick up a victory in the Big Ten opener for both teams. Penn State won six of ten bouts including the last for to notch a 22-16 win in front of yet another Rec Hall sellout crowd.
With line-up changes brought on by the recent announcement that top-ranked heavyweight Anthony Cassar and All-American 197-pounder Kyle Conel were lost for the season and three other Lion starters out, Penn State roared back from a halftime deficit thanks to wins from two seniors and two true freshmen. A crowd of 6,202 watched Penn State beat the Illini, Penn State's 51st straight sellout in Rec Hall and the 56th of 58 at home (including five of seven in the Bryce Jordan Center).
125: Justin Cardani ILL dec. Brandon Meredith PSU, 6-0 0-3
133: #7 Travis Piotrowski ILL pinned Austin Clabaugh PSU, WBF (6:54) 0-9
141: #2 Nick Lee PSU maj. dec. #16 Dylan Duncan ILL, 13-5 4-9
149: Jarod Verkleeren PSU dec. Mousa Jodeh ILL, 6-2 7-9
157: Eric Barone ILL dec. Bo Pipher PSU, 5-2 7-12
165: #15 Danny Braunagel ILL maj. dec. Konner Kraeszig PSU, 12-3 7-16
174: #1 Mark Hall PSU win by DQ #8 Joey Gunther ILL, DQ (6:40, stalling) 13-16
184: #8 Aaron Brooks PSU dec. Zach Braunagel ILL, 9-4 16-16
197: Shakur Rasheed PSU dec. Matt Wroblewski ILL, 3-0 19-16
285: Seth Nevills PSU dec. Luke Luffman ILL, 6-3 22-16
Attendance: 6,202 (51st straight sellout in Rec Hall, 56 of 58 overall including five of seven in the BJC)
With line-up changes brought on by the recent announcement that top-ranked heavyweight Anthony Cassar and All-American 197-pounder Kyle Conel were lost for the season and three other Lion starters out, Penn State roared back from a halftime deficit thanks to wins from two seniors and two true freshmen. A crowd of 6,202 watched Penn State beat the Illini, Penn State's 51st straight sellout in Rec Hall and the 56th of 58 at home (including five of seven in the Bryce Jordan Center).
125: Justin Cardani ILL dec. Brandon Meredith PSU, 6-0 0-3
133: #7 Travis Piotrowski ILL pinned Austin Clabaugh PSU, WBF (6:54) 0-9
141: #2 Nick Lee PSU maj. dec. #16 Dylan Duncan ILL, 13-5 4-9
149: Jarod Verkleeren PSU dec. Mousa Jodeh ILL, 6-2 7-9
157: Eric Barone ILL dec. Bo Pipher PSU, 5-2 7-12
165: #15 Danny Braunagel ILL maj. dec. Konner Kraeszig PSU, 12-3 7-16
174: #1 Mark Hall PSU win by DQ #8 Joey Gunther ILL, DQ (6:40, stalling) 13-16
184: #8 Aaron Brooks PSU dec. Zach Braunagel ILL, 9-4 16-16
197: Shakur Rasheed PSU dec. Matt Wroblewski ILL, 3-0 19-16
285: Seth Nevills PSU dec. Luke Luffman ILL, 6-3 22-16
Attendance: 6,202 (51st straight sellout in Rec Hall, 56 of 58 overall including five of seven in the BJC)