Wrestlers rebound from loss to Illini, top Wildcats

By RYAN HOCKENSMITH
Collegian Staff Writer

Nate Parker isn't a mathematics major.

But the true freshman Penn State wrestler had no trouble breaking down the equation presented to him yesterday.

The formula for Parker and his No. 10 Nittany Lions was simple against No. 18 Northwestern -- Parker wins, Penn State wins. A loss by the 133-pound freshman would send the Lions home with a lackluster 0-2 record for the weekend. No. 8 Illinois defeated Penn State 20-14 on Friday.

Parker took the mat yesterday with his squad trailing the Wildcats, 20-18.

Parker walked off with an 8-2 win over John Giacche, adding another win to his record and subtracting a possible loss from his team's season tally.

Despite putting the fate of the dual meet in the hands of the true freshman, Lion coach Troy Sunderland said he wasn't worried.

"He was ready to go," he said. "I actually think Nate likes being in that position. He knows he'll do OK."

Sunday's win followed a bizarre Friday night for Sunderland's troops.

That night, Lion senior co-captain Clint Musser failed to make 157 pounds, forcing backup Dana Weber into battle. Weber dropped a 5-4 decision to No. 20 Griff Powell.

"Dana wrestled well," Sunderland said. "He got his ankle banged up a little bit, but he still almost had a reversal at the end of the match to win it."

Musser's absence, however, was the story of the night.

Sunderland said Musser checked his weight upon arrival Friday night and weighed 156.10 on the Illinois scale. According to Sunderland, Musser then drank some fluids, thinking he was nine-tenths of a pound under the 157-pound limit.

Instead, Musser was only about one-fourth of a pound under weight because the final two digits on Illinois' scale were in ounces. Sunderland said when Musser stepped on the scale for the actual dual meet weigh-in, Musser weighed 157.4 -- nearly one-half of a pound overweight.

Musser bounced back to post an 8-4 decision against Northwestern's Jason Erwinski, one of five Lion bout-winners in the narrow win.

Critical to the victory were bonus points supplied by Biff Walizer and Mark Janus.

Senior 149-pounder Walizer picked up a crucial pin against Wildcat Jonathan Friedstat to give Penn State an early 6-5 lead. Musser increased the Lion lead to 9-5, but Northwestern followed with four straight wins.

Janus righted the reeling Lions when he received a forfeit at heavyweight, picking up important bonus points to drag Penn State to within 20-15 of the Wildcats.

Victories from Jeremy Hunter and Parker in the final two bouts sealed Sunderland's weekend split.

"Overall, (the weekend) was a little bit disappointing," Sunderland said. "But the guys who wrestled bad Friday picked it up on Sunday, so I can't be too upset with the weekend."