Jan. 20, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Top-ranked Penn State University defended its national ranking in Holloway Gymnasium on Sunday, defeating the No. 22 Purdue wrestling team, 35-3. The Boilermakers fall to 10-5 overall and 1-3 in Big Ten Conference duals, while the Nittany Lions remain undefeated at 6-0 (3-0 Big Ten).
The Boilermakers were without four starters on Sunday as junior Cashé Quiroga and sophomore Patrick Kissel missed their third straight dual, while 165-pound sophomore Pat Robinson and 174-pound freshman Chad Welch were sidelined as well. Despite coming up with just one victory on the day, the Boilermakers were very competitive against the defending national champions.
Senior Ivan Lopouchanski came up with the lone Boilermaker victory, topping Penn State senior James English at 149 pounds, 5-2. After a scoreless first period, Lopouchanski scored a reversal and a takedown in the second period to build a 4-2 advantage, and his escape in the third was the final point of the match. In dealing English just his third loss of the season, the Boilermaker senior remained perfect on the year at 18-0 and 4-0 in conference duals.
One of the most thrilling matches of the day came at 141 pounds between Purdue sophomore Brandon Nelsen and Penn State senior Bryan Pearsall, as the two engaged in a wild series of scrambles in an eventual 4-2 decision for Pearsall. Nelsen got in on a shot in the first period and in a lengthy scramble appeared to have the Nittany Lion senior on his back, but no points were awarded to either wrestler and they went scoreless in the period. Nelsen got on the board with a reversal in the second, and the period ended with a 2-1 score after Pearsall's escape. Pearsall sealed the match in the third, reversing Nelsen after he got too high on a leg ride and riding him out for the extra point and decision.
The 157-pound bout saw several points on the board as well as Purdue senior Tommy Churchard dropped a 12-9 decision to junior James Vollrath. Vollrath went ahead early, scoring a pair of takedowns in the first period and adding a third in the second to make it 6-2. Churchard started his scoring with a reversal to make it 7-4 after the second, and added a takedown and a reversal in the final period to keep things close. However Vollrath continued his scoring as well with two third-period takedowns and got out of Holloway with the win.
Penn State scored bonus points at all four of the weights where the Boilermakers were missing their starters as freshman Jordan Conaway earned a 13-4 major decision at 133 pounds, sophomore Matt Brown posted a 15-3 major decision at 174 pounds and juniors David Taylor and Ed Ruth scored falls at 165 and 184 pounds, respectively.
The Boilermakers return to action on Monday, Jan. 28, continuing Big Ten action against No. 19 Wisconsin at Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale, Ill.
#22 Purdue 3 - #1 Penn State 35
125: Nico Megaludis (PSU) def. Camden Eppert (PU), D 5-1 (PU 0 - PSU 3)
133: Jordan Conaway (PSU) def. Danny Sabatello (PU), MD 13-4 (PU 0 - PSU 7)
141: Bryan Pearsall (PSU) def. Brandon Nelsen (PU), D 4-2 (PU 0 - PSU 10)
149: Ivan Lopouchanski (PU) def. James English (PSU), D 5-2 (PU 3 - PSU 10)
157: James Vollrath (PSU) def. Tommy Churchard (PU), D 12-9 (PU 3 - PSU 13)
165: David Taylor (PSU) def. Doug Welch (PU), Fall 2:41 (PU 3 - PSU 19)
174: Matt Brown (PSU) def. Kyle Mosier (PU), MD 15-3 (PU 3 - PSU 23)
184: Ed Ruth (PSU) def. Dion Crowder (PU), Fall 3:42 (PU 3 - PSU 29)
197: Quentin Wright (PSU) def. Braden Atwood (PU), D 7-1 (PU 3 - PSU 32)
285: Jon Gingrich (PSU) def. Alex White (PU), D 4-1 (PU 3 - PSU 35)