Michigan State University
Penn State
Michigan State Falls to No. 1 Penn State
1/21/2024 4:39:00 PM | Wrestling
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State wrestling team welcomed the two-time defending National Champion and top ranked Penn State Nittany Lions to Jenison Field House on Sunday afternoon, falling 35-0 in facing its third-straight ranked opponent.
The Spartans drop to 7-3 overall with an 0-3 Big Ten record while Penn State advances to 6-0 and a perfect 3-0 in B1G play.
Starting at 125-pounds, redshirt junior Tristan Lujan took on the visiting No. 14-ranked Braeden Davis. A quick double-legged takedown from Davis started the match, but there was not match action through two periods. Davis scored another takedown in the third period which proved to be the difference maker in the 7-3 decision and got the scoring started for Penn State as it took an early 3-0 lead.
No. 21-ranked 157-pound senior Chase Saldate and No. 1-ranked Levi Haines put on an epic performance for the 1000 plus fans in attendance. Saldate led the attack early as he executed a single-legged takedown and rode Haines to start racking up riding time.
👀 we see you Chase 👀#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/U6LSpLZFFf
— Spartan Wrestling (@MSU_Wrestling) January 21, 2024
Haines was able to slip the grasp of the Gilroy, California, native near the end of the first period to cut Saldate's lead to 3-1. After taking down position to start the second period, Haines scored on an escape, but neither wrestler would score for the remainder of the second. A third period takedown by Haines sent the match into sudden victory knotted up at 5-5. After two scoreless sudden victory periods, a stalling point was rewarded to Saldate in the first tiebreaker round, but a Haines reversal in the final moments of the second tiebreaker gave the top ranked Nittany Lion a 7-6 victory.
Despite the score, MSU put up a valiant effort against the top ranked Nittany Lions with six matches at 125, 141, 149, 157, 174, 184, and the heavyweight all ending in decisions.
Michigan State will continue its homestand next week as they host No. 22-ranked Wisconsin on Friday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.
BOUT-BY-BOUT:
No. 1 Penn State 35, Michigan State 0
Jan. 21, 2024 // Jenison Field House // East Lansing, Mich.
Attendance: 1010
125 | No. 14 Braden Davis (PSU) dec. Tristan Lujan (MSU) 7-3 | Penn State leads 3-0
133 | No. 4 Aaron Nagao (PSU) tech fall over Andy Hampton (MSU) 19-3 | Penn State leads 8-0
141 | No. 2 Beau Bartlett (PSU) dec. No. 33 Jordan Hamdan (MSU) 8-2 | Penn State leads 11-0
149 | David Evans (PSU) dec. Braden Stauffenberg (MSU) 4-2 | Penn State leads 14-0
157 | No. 1 Levi Haines (PSU) dec. No. 21 Chase Saldate (MSU) 7-6 | Penn State leads 17-0
165 | No. 9 Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) major dec. No. 10 Caleb Fish (MSU) 19-8 | Penn State leads 21-0
174 | Terrell Barraclough (PSU) dec. DJ Shannon (MSU) 8-1 | Penn State leads 24-0
184 | No. 5 Bernie Truax (PSU) dec. No. 22 Layne Malczewski 4-2 | Penn State leads 27-0
197 | No. 1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) tech fall over No. 29 Kael Wisler (MSU) 21-6 | Penn State leads 32-0
HWT | Lucas Cochran (PSU) dec. Josh Terrill (MSU) 5-0 | Penn State wins 35-0
Players Mentioned
