Wrestling: Nebraska Puts a Scare into Penn State but Falls in the End

wrestling: nebraska puts a scare into penn state but falls in the end

Nebraska’s #1 Ridge Lovett got a win and put his team up 10-3 on #1 Penn State after 149 pounds.

For the first time all season, top-ranked Penn State was on its heels after #3 Nebraska won three of the first four matches in a much-anticipated dual Sunday afternoon.

After Nebraska’s 10-3 start to the dual, the Nittany Lions rebounded behind their home crowd to win five of the last six bouts on the way to a 22-13 win over Nebraska.

No team had scored more than 10 points against Penn State all season, and most of those losses were by backups in duals where Penn State didn’t wrestle its best lineup. Against Nebraska, they were nearly at full strength with the exception of their 133-pounder who was out with illness, but the Huskers didn’t shy away in winning four matchups.

Five of Penn State’s wins came from its five #1-ranked wrestlers, but the Huskers won the first two matches to start the dual with a 7-0 lead. The fact that Nebraska was able to win four matches against this stacked lineup only solidifies its spot as an NCAA trophy contender.

With the loss, Nebraska drops to 11-2 on the year and 6-2 in the Big Ten.

Match-By-Match Breakdown

*FloWrestling individual rankings used

125 pounds

Starting the dual off for the Huskers was #9 Caleb Smith taking on #5 Braeden Davis.

After a scoreless first period, Smith struck first in the second with an escape.

In the third, Davis got an escape of his own to tie the match at 1-1. Shortly after, Smith shot in and came around for a takedown, putting Davis on his back in the process and collecting four near-fall points to go up 8-1. Smith was called for an illegal hold on a full nelson, giving Davis a point, before cutting him loose for an escape. Looking for bonus points, Smith hit a duck-under for a takedown with 15 seconds left, giving him the 11-3 major decision win.

With his second Top-10 win in a row, Smith is now 18-5 on the year and 4-3 in Big Ten duals.

Team Score: Nebraska 4, Michigan 0

133 pounds

Nebraska’s #22 Jacob Van Dee took the mat against Penn State’s Baylor Shunk instead of #5 Aaron Nagao, who was out due to illness.

Van Dee started the match with two quick takedowns in the first period, taking a 6-2 lead in to the second.

Van Dee chose down in the second and was unable to get away as Shunk rode him the entire period. In the third, Van Dee returned the favor with a full-period ride of his own. Looking for some turns, Van Dee was unable to put Shunk on his back, settling for the 6-2 decision win.

With the win, Van Dee is now 17-6 and 6-1 in Big Ten duals. He’ll likely be seeded anywhere from 2nd to 4th at Big Tens.

Team Score: Nebraska 7, Penn State 0

141 pounds

Facing the first of Penn State’s top-ranked wrestlers was Nebraska’s #5 Brock Hardy when he took on Beau Bartlett.

Bartlett was able to get in on a shot in the first period to take the 3-0 lead. After a Hardy escape, Bartlett started the second period with one of his own to go up 4-1. Bartlett scored another takedown in the second before Hardy got another escape.

In the third, Hardy started down and got an escape to cut the deficit to 7-3. Hardy was able to get in on a double to pull within a point. He cut Bartlett loose and went hunting for a go-ahead takedown but ended up falling short in a 9-6 decision loss with Bartlett’s riding-time point.

With the loss, Hardy is now 14-6 on the year and 4-2 in Big Ten duals with his only losses to Bartlett and #2 Real Woods of Iowa. With his loss to #3 Jesse Mendez at CKLV, Hardy will likely be the 4-seed at Big Tens and could see Bartlett again in the semis.

Team Score: Nebraska 7, Penn State 3

149 pounds

Nebraska’s #1 Ridge Lovett took the mat against a game opponent in freshman #12 Tyler Kasak but ended up getting the win.

Kasak started the scoring with a first-period takedown but was immediately reversed by Lovett who rode the period out on top, racking up 52 seconds in riding time.

Lovett tied the match at 3-3 with a second-period escape before scoring a takedown in the third to go up 6-3 and riding out the period. With his 1:03 in riding time, Lovett scored the 7-3 decision win.

With the win, Lovett is now 21-0 and will be the 1-seed at next month’s Big Ten Championships.

Team Score: Nebraska 10, Penn State 3

157 pounds

With Penn State on the ropes, Nebraska’s #13 Peyton Robb took the mat against #1 Levi Haines.

After showing off some impressive defense in a scoreless first period, Robb struck first with a second-period escape. In the final second of the second period, Haines was able to secure a neutral-danger takedown that put him up 3-1.

In the third, Robb started on top but cut Haines loose. Haines ramped up the pace, collecting a pair of takedowns as Robb seemed to fade a bit. In the end, Haines came out with a 10-3 decision over the Husker senior.

With the loss, Robb is now 16-5 on the year and is looking like he could be seeded anywhere between 4 and 6 at the Big Ten Championships.

Team Score: Nebraska 10, Penn State 6

165 pounds

Needing a win to stay in the dual, Nebraska’s #10 Antrell Taylor took on #6 Mitchell Messenbrink.

In the first period, Taylor started the match with a whip-over takedown, showing his strength in taking the 3-0 lead. After an escape by Messenbrink, he got in on Taylor’s legs. In an unbelievable sequence that lasted over a minute, Taylor exhibited heavy hips, followed by a whizzer, then some great defense fending off a finish with his leg elevated, going into the splits before getting his leg away to avoid giving up any points. The way he fought off that shot was elite against a guy like Messenbrink who chain wrestles as good as anyone in the country.

In the second, Messenbrink got an escape after a nice ride by Taylor. The Penn State redshirt freshman then was able to finish a shot for the first time in the second period to go up 5-3. Taylor cut the deficit to one with a quick escape.

Taylor started the third with an escape to tie the match at 5-5, but it was Messenbrink who scored the third-period takedown and ride-out to get the 9-5 win over Taylor.

With the loss, Taylor is now 16-5 on the year and will be either the 4 or 5-seed at Big Tens.

Team Score: Nebraska 10, Penn State 9

174 pounds

Facing one of the best to ever lace ‘em up, Nebraska’s #20 Bubba Wilson faced a tall task against #1 Carter Starocci, a three-time NCAA Champion.

Wilson didn’t back down though as he came right at Starocci, but the Penn State junior was just too much. Starocci scored two takedowns in the first period before adding another pair of takedowns in the second.

In the third, Starocci used two more takedowns and an escape to score the 20-4 tech fall win.

With the loss, Wilson is now 12-10 on the year and just 2-6 in Big Ten duals.

Team Score: Penn State 14, Nebraska 10

184 pounds

In yet another Top-10 showdown, Nebraska’s #3 Lenny Pinto took on #7 Bernie Truax of Penn State.

Pinto struck twice in the first period with a pair of powerful takedowns, once on a double-leg after dragging a toe on the way out of bounds and the other after running down a low shot.

Truax started the second period with his third escape, cutting Pinto’s lead to 6-3. In the third, Pinto scored an escape of his own before Truax was eventually able to get in for a takedown on Pinto, shooting low and collecting both feet to cut Pinto’s lead to 7-6. Pinto got the escape and held off the Nittany Lion senior to secure the 8-6 decision win.

With the win, Pinto is now 18-3 on the year and will likely be the 2-seed at Big Tens.

Team Score: Penn State 14, Nebraska 13

197 pounds

In a matchup between two of last year’s Big Ten Champions, Nebraska’s #13 Silas Allred took on #1 Aaron Brooks, one of the best wrestlers I’ve seen compete in person.

Brooks came out firing, collecting two first-period takedowns while also forcing a stalling call on Allred. In the second, Allred started with an escape before Brooks went up 9-2 with a third takedown, increasing his riding time up over three minutes in the process.

Brooks chose neutral in the third and secured two more takedowns and one more point on a second stalling call on Allred. In the end, Allred was able to fend off Brooks’ push for a tech fall, instead dropping the match via 17-4 major decision.

With the loss, Allred is now 19-5 on the year and 6-2 in Big Ten duals, likely placing him as the 3-seed at the upcoming Big Ten tournament.

Team Score: Penn State 18, Nebraska 13

285 pounds

Needing a pinfall for the dual win, Nebraska’s Nash Hutmacher took on Penn State’s #1 Greg Kerkvliet in the dual’s final match.

Facing one of the best heavyweights there’s been in years, Hutmacher was overmatched. In the first, he gave up a takedown before getting ridden out. In the second, Hutmacher started on top and was quickly reversed and again ridden out.

In the third, Hutmacher took bottom and was unable to get away, giving up three points on stall calls on the way to a 10-0 major decision loss where Kerkvliet racked up over five minutes of riding time.

There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in losing to Kerkvliet. With the loss, Hutmacher is now 4-3 on the year and 3-3 in Big Ten duals.

Team Score: Penn State 22, Nebraska 13
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