Penn State Wrestling Cruises Past Oregon State
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Penn State’s top-ranked wrestling team proved to be a huge draw at Oregon State on Friday night, contributing to the largest crowd in Oregon State wrestling history. A crowd of 8,540 watched as the Nittany Lions won nine of 10 bouts in a 36-3 victory over the 16th-ranked Beavers.
Penn State debuted what likely will be its primary lineup this season, one that included three freshmen, all of whom won. True freshmen Braeden Davis (125) and Tyler Kasak (149) defeated ranked wrestlers, while 12th-ranked redshirt freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink scored a technical fall over the nation’s No. 10 wrestler at 165. In all, the Nittany Lions (3-0) generated bonus points in five of the 10 bouts.
Davis (9-0) seems to have taken hold of the 125-pound weight class following an 11-6 win over No. 15 Brandon Kaylor. Davis scored three takedowns in a dominant bout that continued an impressive first season.
Kasak (5-1) wrestled a strong third period to defeat 12th-ranked Nash Singleton 4-1. Tied at 1-1, Kasak scored a takedown with 40 seconds left to secure the biggest win of his freshman season. At 165, Mesenbrink (10-0) was exceptionally aggressive, scoring 17 points in a technical fall. Mesenbrink has six technical falls this season.
Second-ranked Beau Bartlett (141) won a gritty, 8-5 sudden-victory decision over No. 25 Cleveland Belton. Bartlett defended a shot from Belton, turning it into a takedown with 8 seconds remaining in the sudden-victory period.
Penn State’s top-ranked contingent of Levi Haines (157), Carter Starocci (174), Aaron Brooks (194) and Greg Kerkvliet (285) all produced wins, with Starocci, Brooks and Kerkvliet earning bonus points. Haines worked through a bit of stress test, recovering from a 6-2 deficit to defeat unranked Isaiah Crosby 8-6.
Penn State’s lone loss came at 184, where Oregon State’s sixth-ranked Trey Munoz upset No. 2 Bernie Truax 5-2, Munoz, who placed sixth at NCAAs last season, scored a pair of takedowns and held Truax without one. The loss was Truax’s first this season.
Penn State returns to action Jan. 14, hosting Indiana to begin its Big Ten schedule. The match is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start at Rec Hall.
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