Wrestling Tops No. 15 Penn State, 19-12
Junior Max Lossen notched his first career dual meet victory to lead the Spartans.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Junior Max Lossen’s first career dual meet victory at 285 pounds propelled the Michigan State wrestling team to a 19-12 victory against Penn State Saturday at Jenison Field House. The Spartans’ win moves their record to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten season. State took the meet victory, winning six of the final eight matches of the evening.
“Penn State is a good team and this win just kind of validates everything we have been doing all season, “said head coach Tom Minkel. “Right now, the team believes in each other and is wrestling with confidence. This is a huge win for us to open the Big Ten season with.”
The meet started with a highly anticipated match-up at 184 lbs. between No. 6 Eric Bradley and No. 18 Joe Williams. The first two periods were very defense-oriented, with difference in the match being a Bradley escape in the second period after choosing the down position. In the third, Williams scored an escape point early, but was quickly taken down by Bradley and wrestled the rest of the match from behind. The defending Big Ten champion claimed a 5-2 decision, and gave the Nittany Lions an early 3-0 lead.
At 197 lbs., junior Jeff Clemens was shutout by PSU’s Joel Edwards, 5-0. Edwards scored a takedown in each of the first two periods, and controlled Clemens for the majority of the match.
The 285 lbs. match was an exciting, physically grueling match that saw Lossen, a junior, win his first dual meet match of his career, 4-3, over C.J. Wonsettler. Trailing by two points in the final minute, Lossen scored an escape and a takedown, then held Wonsettler down for the final eight seconds of the period to claim his 12th victory of the season. The victory also put the Spartans on the board, cutting Penn State’s lead in the meet, 6-3.
No. 3 Nick Simmons remained undefeated on the season, defeating No. 15 Adam Smith by major decision at 125 lbs., 8-0. Simmons notched a takedown in each period, as well as and escape in the second and riding time to claim his seventh shut out victory of the season. The Spartan All-American is now 19-0 overall, and 5-0 in dual meet matches. The victory also put the Green and White in the lead, 7-6, after four matches.
PSU reclaimed the lead, 9-7, after the 133-pound match. Redshirt freshman Ryan Froese dropped the decision to Bryan Heller, 9-2.
No. 3 Andy Simmons added to his team-leading 23rd victory of the season by defeating No. 17 DeWitt Driscoll, 5-0. Simmons scored an early takedown in the first period, and added another in the third period en route to his fourth dual meet match win and his sixth shutout victory of the season. The win also put MSU back in front for the meet, 10-9, with four matches remaining.
Michigan State extended its lead to 13-9 behind the wrestling of No. 17 Darren McKnight at 149 lbs. McKnight scored a total of six takedowns, and added a point for riding time in a 13-7 victory over Jack Decker. The win was the junior captain’s 22nd of the year.
At 157, senior Matt McCarty made a late run scoring three points in the final seconds, but he couldn’t upset No. 9 Nathan Galloway. With the match tied at 6-6 after regulation, riding time proved to be the different as Galloway took the decision, 7-6.
Redshirt freshman Bryan Harney picked up the first Big Ten dual meet victory of his career, defeating Steve Troup, 9-6. Harney notched a takedown in each of the first two periods, then two more in the third to win his 12th match of the season. The Chicago, Ill., native claimed his first dual meet victory since Nov. 30 at Eastern Michigan.
The meet came down to the final match of the evening at 174 lbs., where R.J. Boudro held on to defeat James Yonushonis, 6-5. Boudro improves to 11-4 on the season.
184- Eric Bradley (PSU) def. Joe Williams Dec., 5-2 PSU, 3-0
197- Joel Edwards (PSU) def. Jeff Clemen Dec., 5-0 PSU, 6-0
285- Max Lossen (MSU) def. C.J. Wonsettler Dec., 4-3 PSU, 6-3
125- Nick Simmons (MSU) def. Adam Smith Maj. Dec., 8-0 MSU, 7-6
133- Bryan Heller (PSU) def. Ryan Froese Dec., 8-2 PSU, 9-7
141- Andy Simmons (MSU) def. DeWitt Driscoll Dec., 5-0 MSU, 10-9
149- Darren McKnight (MSU) def. Jack Decker Dec., 13-7 MSU, 13-9
157- Nate Galloway (PSU) def. Matt McCarty Dec., 7-6 MSU, 13-12
165- Bryan Harney (MSU) def. Steven Troup Dec., 9-6 MSU, 16-12
174- R.J. Boudro (MSU) def. James Yonushonis Dec., 6-5 MSU, 19-12
Attendance: 1252
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