February 19, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Impressive wins by Chris Fleeger and Doug Withstandley went for naught on Sunday as the Purdue Boilermakers fell to the Penn State Nittany Lions, 32-8, at Conseco Field House.
The dual was the final regular-season competition for both squads. Purdue ends the dual season with a 9-10 record, 1-7 in the Big Ten. Penn State moved to 13-4 and 5-3.
Senior Doug Withstandley (Jackson, N.J.) opened the dual with a 10-2 major decision over Jason Lapham at 149 pounds. Withstandley, ranked ninth in the nation, used a second-period reveral and three takedowns in the final frame to post the bonus-point victory.
The Nittany Lions ran off seven straight wins, including a heated match-up at 184, to blow the team score open at 26-4.
Purdue's second, and final, win of the afternoon came at 133 pounds. Senior Chris Fleeger (Trout Run, Pa.) dominated fellow Pennsylvanian Jake Strayer to the tune of a 17-3 major decision. Fleeger, ranked fifth, took down Strayer, ranked ninth, in the opening period and turned the Lion freshman three times for eight back points, building a 10-2 lead after three minutes. Three more takedowns gave the Boilermaker his sixth win against a ranked opponent in just 10 matches, including four wins by major decision.
A pin for Penn State at 141 pounds ended the dual with the 24-point margin, the largest margin of defeat suffered by the Boilermakers this season.
The 184-pound match feature the top two wrestlers at that weight in the Big Ten, with senior Ben Wissel (Richmond, Ind.) and Eric Bradley both undefeated in conference duals this season. The two traded escapes, Bradley taking a 1-0 lead after two periods, and Wissel tying the score with an escape in the third. Wissel got in on Bradley's legs numerous times near the edge of the mat but was unabel to secure a takedown. Bradley scored the lone offensive points of the match with a takedown in the final five seconds of the third period, giving the Lion a 5-0 Big Ten record, and slipping Wissel to 7-1 in conference duals.
The Boilermakers are off next weekend, returning to the competition mats on March 5-6 for the Big Ten Championships in Bloomington, Ind.