In a dual meet where Penn State wrestling went without regular starters Gary Steen, Roman Bravo-Young and Aaron Brooks, the team still had plenty to beat No. 22 Indiana, 35-8, Sunday afternoon in Bloomington.
Final score from Bloomington, IN!#PSUwr pic.twitter.com/CiGo3RuRLB
— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) February 5, 2023
Indiana won the first two bouts of the day, Penn State went 8-for-8 the rest of the way. Marco Vespa, who wrestled at 125 in the Iowa dual meet against powerhouse Spencer Lee, lost by technical fall to Indiana’s Jacob Moran. Centre County product Baylor Shunk got the start at 133 for Bravo-Young and nearly pulled out an upset over 29th-ranked Henry Porter, but Porter beat Shunk in sudden victory, 9-7.
From there, it was all Penn State. Beau Bartlett got the scoring going with a lightning quick 12-second pin of the Indiana’s Cayden Rooks. Max Dean also got a pin at 197 pounds over Drayton Harris in 1:29.
PSU heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet got a technical fall, and Shayne Van Ness (149), Alex Facundo (165) and Carter Starocci (174) all won by major decision. Starocci’s 11-3 major over Indiana’s D.J. Washington avenged one of his two career losses.
Washington beat Starocci in a dual meet two years ago.
Levi Haines (157) and Donovon Ball (184) both won matches by decision. Ball got the start for Brooks.
Penn State also won a pair of extra matches. David Evans earned a 6-2 victory at 149 pounds, while Terrell Barraclough picked up a 17-4 major decision at 157.
Penn State wrestling, which is now 13-0 on the season, will be at No. 22 Rutgers Friday night for a 7 p.m. dual.
Penn State 35, Indiana 8
125 – Jacob Moran (I) tech. fall Marco Vespa (PSU), 17-2 4:48. (0-5)
133 – Henry Porter (I) dec. Baylor Shunk (PSU), 9-7 SV. (0-8)
141 – Beau Bartlett (PSU) pinned Cayden Rooks (I), :12. (6-8)
149 – Shayne Van Ness (PSU) maj. dec. Graham Rooks (I), 17-5. (10-8)
157 – Levi Haines (PSU) dec. Derek Gilcher (I), 8-2. (13-8)
165 – Alex Facundo (PSU) maj. dec. Robert Major (I), 20-9. (17-8)
174 – Carter Starocci (PSU) maj. dec. D.J. Washington (I), 11-3. (21-8)
184 – Donovon Ball (PSU) dec. Clayton Fielden (I), 10-3. (24-8)
197 – Max Dean (PSU) pinned Drayton Harris (I), 1:29. (30-8)
285 – Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) tech. fall Jacob Bullock (I), 16-0 3:59. (35-8)
Extra Matches
149 – David Evans (PSU) dec. Luke Baughman (I), 6-2.
157 – Terrell Barraclough (PSU) maj. dec. Mason Alley (I), 17-4.
