NCAA

Match Notes: Penn State Shows Why They Are Number One

Match Notes: Penn State Shows Why They Are Number One

Real-time updates from the college wrestling dual between Penn State and Maryland in the Xfinity Center Pavillion on Sunday, January 28 at noon Eastern.

Jan 28, 2024 by Andrew Spey
Match Notes: Penn State Shows Why They Are Number One

The number one ranked Penn State Nittany Lions travel from State College to College Park to take on the Maryland Terrapins in a sold-out Xfinity Center Pavillion. The dual is scheduled to start at noon Eastern and will be televised on the Big Ten Network cable channel. 

For a preview of the dual, and some questions we hope the dual will answer, click here

Projected Lineups

125: #3 Braeden Davis, Penn State vs Tommy Capul, Maryland

133: #5 Aaron Nagao, Penn State vs #15 Braxton Brown, Maryland

141: #2 Beau Bartlett, Penn State vs #17 Kal Miller, Maryland

149: #17 Tyler Kasak, Penn State vs #22 Ethen Miller, Maryland

157: #1 Levi Haines, Penn State vs #32 Michael North, Maryland

165: #7 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State vs AJ Rodrigues, Maryland

174: #1 Carter Starocci, Penn State vs Domenic Solis, Maryland

184: #5 Bernie Truax, Penn State vs Chase Mielnik, Maryland

197: #1 Aaron Brooks, Penn State vs #4 Jaxon Smith, Maryland

285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State vs Seth Nevills or Sam O'Brian or Jordan Gabriel, Maryland

Tim Johnson and Malik Amine are on the call and we're starting at 125. It's lunch time on the east coast, so let's start the show!

125: #3 Braeden Davis, Penn State vs Tommy Capul, Maryland

1st period: Drag from Davis in the first and the first points go to the Nittany Lion. Davis locked up a two on one, rolls through and gets a four-point nearfall on a tilt. 7-0 lead in the first minute for Davis. Another tilt for the true freshmen Davis and it's 11-0, Davis will be looking for an early tech-fall. 30 seconds to go in the period. Another roll thru tilt, Capul knows he can't give up these points but Davis doesn't give him an option. Four more points and it's a 15-0 tech in the first period. Penn State on the board!

Penn State 5, Maryland 0

133: Baylor Shunk, Penn State vs #15 Braxton Brown, Maryland

1st period: No Nagao even though he was the only name listed in the projected lineups in both team's previews. Single leg for Brown and Brown converts early to for the first Terrapin takedown. Brown tries to roll Shunk through on a tilt but Shunk stops him midway, hip heists and gets a reversal for two. Brown still leads 3-2 but Shunk gets the rideout. 

2nd period: Brown takes down and is out quickly to make it 4-2. Brown in on a high crotch, cracks down on a single leg, then converts after a brief scramble to give Brown three more points and a 7-2 lead. Brown going back to his tilt series. Now he sinks two boots in deep and Shunk is on his belly. No turns but Brown gets the rideout and has 1:48 of riding time. 

3rd period: Shunk goes underneath. Brown riding tough. Now Shunk nearly free, Brown drops to an ankle. Gets a five count and a stall call but its his first so they'll restart. Riding time locked up. Shunk finally escapes with about 10 seconds to go but three points is all he'll get. 8-3 win for Brown. 

Penn State 5, Maryland 3

141: #2 Beau Bartlett, Penn State vs #17 Kal Miller, Maryland

1st period: Our first ranked matchup of the day. Bartlett in on a shot after about a minute of wrestling. Miller over the top and we've got a scramble. Bartlett methodically working his closer to a takedown. Miller close to being in neutral danger. Long scramble. Miller locked around the crotch, Bartlett still inching his way around Miller's legs. And after nearly two minutes of scrambling Bartlett will collect three points. Bartlett gets the rideout in short time and has a 3-0 lead after one period. 

2nd period: Miller chooses down and Bartlett goes to work on top. Miller can't get away after a couple of stand attempts.BArtlett keeping him glued to the mat. Miller gets hit with stalling deep into the period. The restart doesn't help Miller and Bartlett gets the second period rideout and has 2:12 of riding time. 

3rd period: Bartlett takes his 3-0 lead and chooses neutral. Miller would need a couple of scores for a comeback. Bartlett makes the comeback more daunting with a snap down go behind with a relentless hand fight and its 6-0. Quick cut and it's 6-1. Miller called for a singlet grab and now its 7-1. Bartlett shot is stalemated. Bartlett on the attack looking for bonus, another snap down go behind and it's 10-1. Bartlett gets the rideout and a 11-1 major decision. 

Penn State 9, Maryland 3

149: Connor Pierce, Penn State vs #22 Ethen Miller, Maryland

1st period: Kasak was on the previews but he's at the Mat-Town Open II in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania along with David Evans so it's redshirt freshman Pierce to take on Kal's brother Ethen. No Score after a minute. Now Miller gets in on a shot, he'll get convert to collect three to take the lead. Miller has a two on one and rolls Pierce through but Perce breaks the grip mid-roll so no nearfall. No escape either, Miller has 44 ticks of RT wth 40 seconds left in the period. Miller gets the rideout and its still 3-0 at the break. 

2nd period: Miller chooses bottom. He's out quickly and adds a point to his total, 4-0. Lots of handfighting but no more scores and it'll 4-0 going into the third. 

3rd period: Pierce chooses neutral. Nice shot by Pierce but even better scramble and defense from Pierce and he denies Miller another takedown. Now we stop for bloodtime. Peirce gets one of his nostrils plugged up and we're back to the final minute of action in regulation. 30 seconds, RT at 1:13 for Miller. A major is within reach but he needs a takedown. Reattack from Miller and he's close to a takedown, but time runs out and it's a mere decision, 5-0 win with the riding time and Maryland gets their second win of the day. 

Penn State 9, Maryland 6

157: #1 Levi Haines, Penn State vs #32 Michael North, Maryland

1st period: Our first of four number ones we could see today. NCAA finalist Haines to take on North. FIrst solid leg attack comes from North but Haines defense. So much strength and tenacity from Haines to keep North at bay and wrestles to a stalemate. North was chases that second leg but never got his hands around it. About a minute later it's Haines in on a single and Haines fighting to collect the three. And Haines gets it and a 3-0 lead. Haines breaks North down flat and has legs in. Haines will get the rideout and leads 3-0 at the break. 

2nd period: Haines chooses bottom, stands, and is out quickly. 30 seconds later Haines is in on a single. North locks up a head and arm and tries to elevate Haines over for a possible gator bacon but Haines sinks his hips and North has to bail and belly out, conceding the three points. Haines with the 7-0 lead. Another rideout and he'll take 1:43 of riding time into the third. 

3rd period: North takes bottom and Haines goes to work. he's got a chicken wing and a one on one and he sucks North back for nearfall. Four more and it's 11-0. Repeat the same tilt and it's 15-0 and a tech-fall for Levi Haines. Penn State up by eight at the intermission.

Penn State 14, Maryland 6

165: #7 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State vs Ryan Money, Maryland

1st period: The whirling dervish known as Michtell Mesenbrink has Ryan Money of Maryland. Takedown for Mesenbrink, then armbar and a half and ther'es the fall. Just like that we now move up to 174!

Penn State 20, Maryland 6

174: #1 Carter Starocci, Penn State vs Mason Stein, Maryland

1st period: Defending three-time NCAA champ Carter Starocci is back on the mat after missing last weekend and has Mason Stein. Takedown in the first 10 second and an immediate release. Another takedown and release and it's 6-2. Stein shoots and it's Starocci's points. 9-3, now 12-4 and the points are going up faster than I can type. 15-4 as they go out of bounds, 1:22 still on the clock in the first. 15-5 now, over a minute to go. Shot from Starocci and he finishes with minimal resistance. An escape and it's 18-6, Carter a takedown away from a tech-fall. Stein seems to concede the final takedown but Starocci doesn't want it, likely wants the fall. And time will run out in the period before Starocci can get either the tech or pinfall. 

2nd period: Stein chooses down. Starocci trying a variety of holds, now has a side cradle locked up. He bulldozes Stein over and collects the fall. 

Penn State 26, Maryland 6

184: #5 Bernie Truax, Penn State vs Chase Mielnik, Maryland

1st period: Doesn't get much easier for opposing teams as they go up the PSU lineup. Three-time All-American Bernie Truax gets a takedown in the first 5 seconds off a sweep single attack. Looking for a cradle, Truax will modify his grip and tilt Mielnik for four to make it 7-0. Truax smothering on top, throwing legs in. Tilts Mielnik again and it's 11-0 and we're not half way through the period yet. Bar and a half and Mielnik is on his back. It'll be a tech or a pin, and pinfall it is. Truax the third pin in a row for the Nittany Lions. 

Penn State 31, Maryland 6

197: #1 Aaron Brooks, Penn State vs #4 Jaxon Smith, Maryland

1st period: Maryland's standard bearer Jaxon Smith will try and put a halt to Penn State's pin parade. He's got another Nittany Lion number one, Aaron Brooks, who, like teammate Starocci, is looking for his fourth NCAA title. One minute in and Brooks collects a takedown to make it 3-0. Now 3-1 with the quick escape. Brooks and Smith both active on their feet and we're getting some nice flurries in the first period. Brooks with the relentless pressure and ironfisted hand fight nearly gets him another takedown but Smith is limber enough to defend when Brooks has a leg. Still 3-1 at the break. 

2nd period: Brooks takes bottom, and is out with no problem in a few seconds. Brooks in deep again but Smith does the splits. He can't get away this time though, Brooks muscles up and corals Smith for three more. Brooks cuts Smith and it's 7-2, short time left in the second. 

3rd period: Smith now just the second wrestler to last into the third period against Brooks. Smith chooses down Brooks lets him up. Score is 7-3. Smith in on a shot about a minute into the period but Brooks scrambles free and reattacks to make it his points. 10-3, make it 10-4 as Brooks is looking for a major. Brooks on the attack, Smith nearly evades his clutches but Brooks holds him down and it's three more for a 13-4 lead. Brooks with the rideout but no extra point to secure the major decision. Smith is the first wrestler to last seven minutes against Brooks this season but Brooks keeps his bonus point streak going. 

Penn State 35, Maryland 6

285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State vs Jordan Gabriel, Maryland

1st period: Last bout of the dual, which flew by on account of all the early endings to the individual matches. Single leg for Kerkvliet, he doubles off for three. Splits the legs and has nearfall. Switches to a headlock and Gabriel is in trouble. And there's the fall. Six more for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State 36, Maryland 6

Not a lot of surprises except for a couple of absences of PSU starters. A lot of bonus points from the Nittany Lions that did go. Penn State wins big as they show off why they are the number one ranked team in the country.