Ohio State
Penn State
Buckeyes Conclude Regular Season with 28-12 Setback to Penn State
2/19/2021 9:35:24 PM | General, Wrestling
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State dropped its regular season finale on Friday night, falling 28-12 to No. 3 Penn State.
The loss was the lone at home this season for the Buckeyes who finished 5-4 on the year.
Penn State took an early lead, and the Buckeyes fought all the way back to even the match at 12-12 after a thrilling pin from Ethan Smith. But the Nittany Lions closed strong, winning the final four bouts to take the match.
Malik Heinselman started the night with a solid 5-2 victory over No. 18 Robert Howard. Heinselman had the only two takedowns of the match, notching one late in the second period and another early in the third. Heinselman improved to 7-1 on the season.
Penn State then went in front 9-3 with a tech fall in the 133-pound match and a major decision in the 141-pound match.
Sammy Sasso, the No. 2 ranked wrestler in the 141-pound matc, put in workman like performance Friday night. He fell behind early as Beau Bartlett got the first take down but Sasso battled back and took a 4-2 lead into the third. He then rode out nearly the entire final two minutes to claim the riding time point and took a 5-3 decision. Sasso remains perfect on the season at 9-0.
Elijah Cleary found himself in another pivotal swing match at 157 with No. 9 Brady Berge. Neither wrestler scored in the first period and each only managed escape points late into the third. Berge caught a late takedown with just over 10 seconds left to win the match 3-1.
After the break, Ethan Smith provided a huge spark as he attacked and caught No. 13 Joe Lee on his back and was able to secure the pin at 2:33 of the first period. That gave the Buckeyes life and it evened the team score at 12-12.
Penn State regained the momentum as No. 7 Carter Starocci was able to pull out a 2-1 victory in the first overtime against Kaleb Romero. Both wrestlers had chances to win the match in the third period and again in the first sudden death period. Starocci was able to escape early in the first overtime and then held the on top advantage in the second overtime to claim the narrow victory.
No. 2 Aaron Brooks followed with a 13-4 major decision against Rocky Jordan and then Michael Beard pinned Gavin Hoffman at 1:21 in the first period of the 197-pound match to secure the team victory for the Nittany Lions.
Seth Nevills finished the night with a 3-2 win over Ohio State’s Tate Orndorff in the heavyweight match to make the final score 28-12.
That concludes the regular season for the Ohio State. The Buckeyes will now prepare for the Big Ten Championship which will be help March 5-7 at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa.
No. 3 Penn State 28, No. 9 Ohio State 12
125 — No. 8 Malik Heinselman def. No. 18 Robert Howard (PSU) | D, 5-2; Team Score 3-0
133 — No. 3 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU) def. No. 24 Jordan Decatur | TF 27-8 (3:37); TS 3-5
141 — No. 2 Nick Lee (PSU) def. No. 26 Dylan D’Emilio | MD, 15-3; TS 3-9
149 — No. 2 Sammy Sasso def. Beau Bartlett (PSU) | D, 5-3; TS 6-9
157 — No. 9 Brady Berge (PSU) def. No. 26 Elijah Cleary | D, 3-1; TS 6-12
165 — No. 7 Ethan Smith def. No. 13 Joe Lee (PSU) | PIN 2:33; TS 12-12
174 — No. 7 Carter Starocci (PSU) def. No. 2 Kaleb Romero | TB-1, 2-1; TS 12-15
184 — No. 2 Aaron Brooks (PSU) def. No. 17 Rocky Jordan | MD, 13-4; TS 12-19
197 — No. 17 Michael Beard (PSU) def. No. 25 Gavin Hoffman | PIN 1:21; TS 12-25
HWT — No. 13 Seth Nevills (PSU) def. No. 9 Tate Orndorff | D, 3-2; TS 12-28
