Hawkeyes Defeat Penn State, 29-6

Jan. 29, 2010

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IOWA CITY, IA — The top-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team used wins at eight weights to beat #13 Penn State, 29-6, Friday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in front of 8,923 fans. Iowa (17-0, 3-0 Big Ten) held Penn State (9-5-1, 1-2 Big Ten) to its lowest team point total of the season, while picking up its 55th straight dual win.

Iowa jumped out to a 7-0 lead with wins from redshirt freshman Matt McDonough (125) and senior Daniel Dennis (133). McDonough, who is ranked fourth in the country, improved to 23-0 with a 7-2 decision over Penn State junior Brad Pataky. McDonough scored three takedowns and rode #11 Pataky the entire third period for the win. Dennis, who is ranked between fourth and ninth in the nation, followed with a 17-7 major decision over unranked Nittany Lion freshman Bryan Pearsall. The Hawkeye senior snatched seven takedowns while allowing none, improving to 11-1 this season.

Unranked senior Adam Lynch scored Penn State’s first takedowns of the night and the first upset of the dual when he defeated fifth-ranked Hawkeye sophomore Montell Marion, 8-6, in sudden victory at 141. Marion trailed 5-2 early in the third period, but scored two takedowns in less than one minute to force the match into sudden victory. Lynch scored a takedown off a scramble in sudden victory for the win.

The Hawkeyes rolled off wins at the next four weights – including an upset at 157 pounds – to build a 23-3 lead. Top-ranked senior Brent Metcalf picked up his 95th career victory and 12th pin of the season when he stuck fifth-ranked Penn State sophomore Frank Molinaro in 3:59. Metcalf, who remains undefeated at 23-0, led 12-4 before taking Molinaro to his back and scoring his 43rd career pin. Unranked Hawkeye junior Jake Kerr got the nod at 157, pulling off a 4-2 upset over Penn State senior Cyler Sanderson, who is ranked between third and fifth in the nation. Sanderson led 1-0 after the first two periods, but Kerr scored a reversal and two nearfall points to take a 4-1 lead. Sanderson escaped with 1:30 left in the match, but neither wrestler scored again despite several scrambles. Iowa junior Ryan Morningstar, who is ranked fifth or sixth in the country, used an escape and riding time point to defeat #8 Dan Vallimont, 2-0 at 165. Morningstar is 18-3 on the season. Hawkeye senior Jay Borschel, who is ranked first or second in the nation, improved to 22-0 with a 14-2 major decision over Penn State freshman Justin Ortega at 174. Borschel scored four takedowns and four nearfall points in the match.

The Nittany Lions posted their second and final win of the night at 184 when senior David Erwin, who is ranked between #11-#13 in the nation scored a 6-4 upset over Iowa senior Phillip Keddy, who is ranked seventh or eighth. Keddy scored the bout’s first takedown to take a 2-0 lead, but Erwin escaped and scored a takedown of his own to lead 3-2. Keddy escaped to tie the score at 3-3 at the end of the first period. Erwin’s second-period escape gave him a 4-3 lead, but Keddy escaped early in the third period to tie the score at 4-4. Erwin scored a takedown with less than a minute left to take a 6-4 lead, and held on for the win.

Iowa closed out the dual with wins at the last two weights. Hawkeye junior Luke Lofthouse picked up his 25th career victory with a 5-2 decision over Penn State sophomore Clay Steadman at 197. Lofthouse scored the bout’s only takedown, and added an escape and two stalling points for the win. Iowa senior heavyweight Dan Erekson ended the dual with a 6-1 decision over #11 Cameron Wade of Penn State, collecting his 55th career win. Erekson, who was wrestling his first match of the season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, scored two first-period takedowns and added another in the second for the win.

Up next for Iowa is Sunday evening’s dual with Big Ten foe Michigan State (7-3-1, 1-2 Big Ten) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Match time is set for 6 p.m. (CT). The Spartans posted a close 17-15 victory over intra-state rival Michigan Friday night at Ann Arbor. The Iowa-Michigan State dual will be streamed live on www.bigtennetwork.com at a cost of $2.99. Tickets purchased in advance are $10 for adults, and $5 for youth, while tickets purchased at the dual are $12 for adults and $6 for youth. UI students and children ages five and under will be admitted free. A family four pack ticket promotion is also available, where fans can purchase four tickets to the dual, and four hot dogs and four sodas from the Carver-Hawkeye Arena concession stands for $35. Fans are encouraged to purchase the family four pack in advance from the UI Athletic Ticket Office (1-800-464-2957, 319-335-9327 or www.hawkeyesports.com).

#1 University of Iowa 29, #13 Penn State University 6
125 – Matt McDonough (I) dec. Brad Pataky (PSU), 7-2
133 – Daniel Dennis (I) maj. dec. Bryan Pearsall (PSU), 17-7
141 – Adam Lynch (PSU) dec. Montell Marion (I), 8-6 SV
149 – Brent Metcalf (I) pinned Frank Molinaro (PSU), 3:56
157 – Jake Kerr (I) dec. Cyler Sanderson (PSU), 4-2
165 – Ryan Morningstar (I) dec. Dan Vallimont (PSU), 2-0
174 – Jay Borschel (I) maj. dec. Justin Ortega (PSU), 14-2
184 – David Erwin (PSU) dec. Phillip Keddy (I), 6-4
197 – Luke Lofthouse (I) dec. Clay Steadman (PSU), 5-2
Hwt. – Dan Erekson (I) dec. Cameron Wade (PSU), 6-1