Penn State dominates Maryland 42-6 in College Park

No. 4 Braeden Davis v Tommy Capul (125Ibs, 15-0TF, 2:47)

Kicking off the action at 125Ibs the No. 4-ranked true freshman had no shortage of showmanship shutting out his opponent. With a three-point takedown and three turns. Davis was able to handle business in the first match of this B1G dual.

Penn State 5, Maryland 0

133: Baylor Shunk, Penn State vs No. 15 Braxton Brown, Maryland

With no showing from one of the top-ranked 133-pound wrestlers In Nagao. Brown scored first on a single-leg takedown. Brown attempted a turn but Shunk stuffed him with a hip heist, earning a reversal for two. Brown with a quick takes down to make it 4-2. To make it 7-2 Brown pulled off a perfect shot-reshot from an initial high crotch. After earning this takedown he would ride out Shunk for the rest of the period. With an escape in the final seconds of the match, Brown was able to win comfortably 8-3. This would give Maryland their first win of the dual.

Penn State 5, Maryland 3

141: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, Penn State vs No. 17 Kal Miller, Maryland

With this being the first-ranked matchup of the day. The crowd was getting into it early. After a shot from Bartlett, these two initiated an incredible scramble. For almost two minutes Bartlett showed his prowess and eventually earned three. Going into the second with a 3-0 lead, Miller chose down. With intense pressure on top Miller gets hit with a stalling call later into the period. Tallying two-plus minutes of riding time the second period ends. Bartlett picks neutral to start the third. After hard hand fighting in the center Bartlett would snap him down with a front headlock Making it 6-0, then after a quick cut, it's 6-1. After the referee called a singlet grab on Miller, making it 7-1. Returning back to his bread and butter he hits another snapdown making it 10-1. Bartlett would be heavy on top the rest of the period to earn an 11-1 major decision.

Penn State 9, Maryland 3

149: Connor Pierce, Penn State vs No. 22 Ethen Miller, Maryland

It was revealed that Tyler Kasak, ranked in the top 20, was on the previews but he’s at the Mat-Town Open II in Lock Haven, PA with David Evans. The redshirt freshman Pierce took the starting spot. After a minute of hand-fighting, Miller got in on a shot, and he got his three to take the early lead. Riding out Pierce for the rest of the period keeping it 3-0. Starting off the second Miller chose bottom, escaping to make it 4-0 with no score until the third period. With a wicked scramble causing Peirce a nosebleed, there was a blood time stoppage. With under a minute to go a last-minute shot from Miller is loosely defended by Pierce, but time runs out keeping the bout at 5-0.

Penn State 9, Maryland 6

157: No. 1 Levi Haines, Penn State vs No. 32 Michael North, Maryland

Last year's NCAA finalist Levi Haines is up next to battle Michael North. About a minute in and Haines shoots in on a single, gets it making it 3-0. Starting the second period Haines chose bottom, and got his escape. After a near head and arm toss from North Haines defends and gets a 7-0 lead. Into the third period now, North takes bottom causing Haines to go back to work heavy on top. Four more from a near fall, it's 11-0. The final points of the match are from the same tilt used earlier giving a clean 150 shutout and a technical fall for Haines.

Penn State 14, Maryland 6

165: No. 7 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State vs Ryan Money, Maryland

The fireworks resume after the break, with a quick match. Mesenbrink is in on a takedown following the whistle. He would get Money to the ground, run a tight armbar, and transition to a half, earning his pin.

Penn State 20, Maryland 6

174: No. 1 Carter Starocci, Penn State vs Mason Stein, Maryland

Carter Starocci was back in action after being out last weekend. In under ten seconds, he gets the takedown and cuts Stein immediately. With a plethora of takedowns and cuts it's 9-3. Making it 15-4 as quick as possible they stumble out of bounds. With the score at 15-5, around a minute to go. A shot and escape made it 18-6, given he was a takedown away from a technical fall. Stein narrowly makes it into the second period and chooses down. Starocci has the near-side cradle locked up. After locking it up he muscles his way to the fall.

Penn State 26, Maryland 6

184: No. 5 Bernie Truax, Penn State vs Chase Mielnik, Maryland

Bernie Truax quickly shot and scored a takedown in the first five seconds, off a sweep single. After pursuing a cradle 7-0. Truax smothering on top, throwing legs in. Tilts Mielnik again and it's 11-0 and we're not halfway through the period yet. Bar and a half and Mielnik is on his back. It'll be a tech or a pin, and pinfall it is. Truax the third pin in a row for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State 32, Maryland 6

197: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, Penn State vs No. 4 Jaxon Smith, Maryland

In a top-five showdown, Jaxon Smith looks to stop Penn State’s momentum. After about one minute Brooks blasts for the first takedown to make it 3-0. Now at 3-1 with a quick escape. Nearly earning another but solid defending from Smith keeping it 3-1. Brooks then takes bottom and earns a quick escape. With a slide-by-like motion, Brooks nearly mat-returns Smith, earning him three more points. After a cut following Brooks’ second takedown, it would make the match 7-2. To start the third period, Smith chooses down and Brooks lets him up. After a quick takedown following some vicious hand-fighting, it would make the bout 10-4, following another cut from Brooks. Aaron would take him down one more time after some elusive defending from Smith. Following the end of the match, Smith is now the first wrestler, this season, to go all seven minutes against Brooks. Brooks would earn the 13-4 win, putting a hiatus on Penn State's three-match pin streak.

Penn State 36, Maryland 6

285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State vs Jordan Gabriel, Maryland

As they say, saving the best for last, the last bout of the duel did not make it out of the first period. Starting off with a slick single leg for Kerkvliet, he transitions to a change-off double leg for three. After a near fall, he switches to a half immediately pinning Gabriel. For the final six points of the match, Penn State gets another 40-point win against a Big Ten opponent for the second time this season.

Final: Penn State 42, Maryland 6

Jeremy Goldman is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him email him jmg7714@psu.edu