Penn State wrestling: Takeaways from the Lions' blowout win over Michigan State
No. 1 Penn State wrestling won its 50th consecutive dual meet on Sunday. It knocked out Michigan State 35-0. All 10 Nittany Lions won en route to the program’s second victory in as many days after it knocked off Michigan 27-9 back on Friday night. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s team is now 6-0 as it prepares to return home and then head to Maryland next Sunday.
Here’s what we learned from the latest Lions win.
Levi Haines survives a scare
The nation’s No. 157 pound wrestler, Levi Haines, needed extra time to beat No. 21 Chase Saldate. Trailing 3-2 after two, Haines scored a takedown and Saldate an escape to force the match into sudden victory at 5-5. After a scoreless sudden victory, Haines scored a reversal in the second tiebreaker period to win 7-5.
Mesenbrink rolls again
Mitchell Mesenbrink had a big weekend. The first-year Nittany Lion beat Cameron Amine by major decision on Friday. Then, the 165-pounder topped top-10 Caleb Fish by another major decision, 18-9. The Penn State wrestler is set to fly up the rankings later this week.
Backups roll again
Penn State had three backups on the mat Sunday. All one. David Evans wrestled in place of Tyler Kasak and scored a 4-2 major decision. At 174 pounds, Terrell Barraclough filled in for a still-ill Carter Starocci and won 8-1. And, at heavyweight, Lucas Cochran beat Josh Terrill 5-0.
Full Penn State-Michigan State results:
125 pounds: No. 14 Braeden Davis, Penn State d. Tristian Lujan, Michigan State, 7-3
133 pounds: No. 4 Aaron Nagao, Penn State TF Andy Hampton, MSU, 18-3 (3:21)
141 pounds: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, PSU d. No. 33 Jordan Hamdan, Michigan State, 8-2
149 pounds: David Evans, PSU d. Braden Stauffenberg, MSU, 4-2
157 pounds: No. 1 Levi Haines, PSU d. No. 21 Chase Saldate, Michigan State, 7-5 (TB2)
165 pounds: No. 9 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State md. No. 10 Caleb Fish, MSU 18-9
174 pounds: David Evans, Penn State d. DJ Shannon, MSU, 8-1
184 pounds: No. 5 Bernie Truax, PSU d. No. 22 Layne Malczewski, Michigan State, 4-2
197 pounds: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, Penn State TF Kael Wisler, MSU, 21-6 (4:00)
285 pounds: Lucas Cochran, PSU d. Josh Terrill, Michigan State, 5-0
