Iowa Loses At Penn State, 24-13

Feb. 4, 2007

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA –

The Iowa wrestling team fell to 12-4 (3-2 in the Big Ten) with a 24-13 loss at Penn State Sunday afternoon. The Hawkeyes won four bouts on the day, but two of the six it lost were by pin. The Nittany Lions improved to 12-6 (3-3 in the Big Ten) with the win, defeating the Hawkeyes for only the sixth time in school history and the third at University Park.

Hawkeye sophomore Charlie Falck (125) and redshirt freshman Ryan Morningstar (157) provided two bright spots on the day for Iowa. Falck picked up his seventh straight win to open the dual, upsetting Penn State junior Mark McKnight, 7-3. Falck is now 5-0 in Big Ten duals and 16-5 in collegiate competition this season. Morningstar picked up his 20th collegiate win of the season and Iowa’s only team bonus points of the day with a 12-3 major decision over Bubba Jenkins. Also scoring decisions for the Hawkeyes were junior Mark Perry (165) and redshirt freshman Phillip Keddy (184).

Penn State scored upsets at three weights to secure its second straight win over Iowa. Nittany Lion junior 141-pounder Bryan Heller caught Hawkeye junior Alex Tsirtsis on his back during a second-period scramble, getting the pin in 3:31. At 165, senior James Yonushonis improved to 16-1 in dual matches and snapped Iowa senior Eric Luedke’s 20-match winning streak with a 3-1 decision in sudden victory at 165. It was Luedke’s first dual loss and only his second collegiate loss of the season. Penn State senior heavyweight Aaron Anspach ended the dual with a 4-2 decision over Hawkeye junior Matt Fields.

Iowa will host Michigan State (2-6, 1-2 in the Big Ten) Sunday, February 11 at 2 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

MEET RESULTS
Penn State 24, Iowa 13
125 – Charlie Falck (I) dec. Mark McKnight (PSU), 7-3
133 – Jake Strayer (PSU) dec. Mario Galanakis (I), 5-2
141 – Bryan Heller (PSU) pinned Alex Tsirtsis (I), 3:31
149 – Dan Vallimont (PSU) dec. Alex Grunder (I), 6-3
157 – Ryan Morningstar (I) maj. dec. Bubba Jenkins (PSU), 12-3
165 – Mark Perry (I) dec. Dave Rella (PSU), 11-4
174 – James Yonushonis (PSU) dec. Eric Luedke (I), 3-1 SV-1
184 – Phillip Keddy (I) dec. Brian Cantalupi (PSU), 8-2
197 – Phil Davis (PSU) pinned Rick Loera (I), 1:17
Hwt. – Aaron Anspach (PSU) dec. Matt Fields (I), 4-2