Nittany Lion Wrestlers Down #2 Iowa 22-12

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; January 22, 2012 – The third-ranked Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team reeled off seven straight wins to run away from No. 2 Iowa in a marquee Big Ten dual today in sold out Rec Hall. Nearly 7,000 fans came to their feet as true freshman Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.) clinched the dual with a win over Iowa All-American Grant Gambrall at 197.

The bout began with a thriller at 125, where No. 2 Matt McDonough of Iowa was taken to sudden victory by talented Penn State freshman Nico Megaludis, ranked No. 8. The true freshman dropped a 3-1 (sv) decision. Iowa followed that up with a pin at 133, where No. 2 Tony Ramos pinned Lion sophomore Frank Martellotti (Pittsburgh, Pa.). The Hawkeyes made it three straight out of the gates when No. 3 Montell Marion posted a hard-fought 7-3 decision over Penn State junior Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) at 141.

Penn State got on the scoreboard at 149 when Nittany Lion senior Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.), ranked No. 1, dominated Iowa’s Mike Kelly to the tune of an 11-5 decision. The three-time All-American had over 3:00 in riding time. Red-shirt freshman Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), ranked No. 8 at 157, followed that up with a sound 5-3 win over Iowa’s Nick Moore and Penn State trailed 12-6 at the break.

Nittany Lion All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio), ranked No. 1 at 165, dominated No. 6 Mike Evans of Iowa to the tune of a 9-4 decision with over 3:00 in riding time. Fellow All-American Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), ranked No. 2 at 174, then hammered No. 9 Ethan Lofthouse, posting a dominating 10-1 major decision with 2:45 in riding time as well. Defending national champion Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.), ranked No. 2 at 184, posted a solid 8-2 win over Iowa’s Vinnie Wagner, setting up the heroics at 197.

McIntosh, ranked No. 12 at 197, took returning Hawkeye All-American Grant Gambrall to sudden victory tied a 3-3 and then sent a packed Rec Hall into hysterics with a takedown and a 5-3 (sv) win. The win clinched the dual and then Nittany Lion senior Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio), ranked No. 6 at heavyweight, closed it out with a superb 4-0 win over Iowa’s Blake Raising.

The Nittany Lions are now 8-1 overall, 4-1 in the Big Ten, while Iowa falls to 9-3, 4-2 in the loop. While Penn State only managed one bonus point (on Ruth’s major), Penn State dominated the dual by winning seven of the ten bouts and posting an 18-10 takedown advantage.

Penn State’s next action will be against Ohio State on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m., in an already sold out Rec Hall. No standing room only tickets are left for the battle with the Buckeyes. Penn State’s next home dual is against No. 10 Michigan on Sunday, Feb. 5, at 2 p.m. A very limited number of tickets remain for that top-ten battle. Fans can purchase tickets for the Michigan dual by calling 814-865-5555. Tickets are priced at $8 for adults and $5 for youth (18 and under) and can be purchased from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day or in person at the Bryce Jordan Center box office. A maximum of four tickets may be purchased per person.

The full season slate of live dual meet and tournament action will air locally on WRSC AM (1390 AM) with Friday evening duals being simulcast on WRSC FM (103.1 FM). Lock Haven’s WBPZ (1230 AM) will also carry the entire season live, WIEZ (670 AM) in Huntingdon/Lewistown carries all Sunday events and further affiliates may be added soon. The regular season schedule of radio broadcasts will be streamed live at www.GoPSUsports.com as part of Penn State’s All-Access package, which will also feature live video streams of many home events. Ticket information is accessed easily online at www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets/m-wrestl-tickets.html . Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstatepat and on Penn State Wrestling’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2011-12 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.

#3 Penn State 22, #2 Iowa 12
January 22, 2012 – Rec Hall – University Park, Pa.

125: #2 Matt McDonough IOWA dec. #8 Nico Megaludis PSU, 3-1 (sv) 0-3

133: #3 Tony Ramos IOWA pinned Frank Martellotti PSU, WBF (4:20) 0-9

141: #3 Montell Marion IOWA dec. Bryan Pearsall PSU, 7-3 0-12

149: #1 Frank Molinaro PSU dec. Mike Kelly IOWA, 11-5 3-12

157: #8 Dylan Alton PSU dec. Nick Moore IOWA, 5-3 6-12

165: #1 David Taylor PSU dec. #6 Mike Evans IOWA, 9-4 9-12

174: #2 Ed Ruth PSU maj. dec. #9 Ethan Lofthouse IOWA, 10-1 13-12

184: #2 Quentin Wright PSU dec. Vinnie Wagner IOWA, 8-2 16-12

197: #12 Morgan McIntosh PSU dec. Grant Gambrall IOWA, 5-3 (sv) 19-12

285: #6 Cameron Wade PSU dec. Blake Raising IOWA, 4-0 22-12