Wrestling

125-pounds - Nico Megaludis - Win by major decision, 13-5
It took a couple minutes for the scoring to start, but the true freshman found used two takedowns to gain a 4-2 lead after the first period. After the score doubled to 8-4 in the second, Megaludis stepped up to score four more points plus a point for riding time to secure a bonus team point. The freshman will be an underdog as the No. 10 seed in his next match, but his strong start could give him momentum for an upset.

133-pounds - Frank Martellotti - Loss by Fall (2:07)
Unfortunately for the sophomore, who snagged an automatic bid with a 7th place finish in the Big Ten, Martellotti drew the top seed Jordan Oliver in the first round. After the opening whistle, Martellotti took a quick shot at the leg of Oliver, but was unable to secure a grip. Oliver countered for a takedown, and things went downhill after that. Martellotti was able to fight off Oliver’s attempts at a turn for two minutes, but he could not escape and was eventually pinned. Martellotti will look to rebound tonight in the wrestleback (consolation) bracket.

149-pounds - Frank Molinaro - Win by major Decision, 9-0
It’s hard to lose when you don’t allow any points. The senior started the NCAA tournament the same way he finished all three of his Big Ten wins: with shutouts. Along with not allowing any points, Molinaro amassed 4:27 of riding time, which is more than half the match. He said early in the week that this has been the best he’s wrestled all year, and he continued to show it today.

157-pounds - Dylan Alton - Win by major decision, 12-4
The redshirt freshman saw the scoreboard in the third period, and he saw a ride-out would give him a major decision. So that’s precisely what he did. Alton kept his opponent under control for the majority of the third period until the clock hit zero, and his riding time gave him an 8-point victory. All four points allowed by Alton came from escapes, and if he can score and play defense, he could make some noise in the 157-pound bracket.

165-pounds - David Taylor - Win by fall (1:40)
Why wrestle for the full seven minutes if you don’t have to? At least that’s what David Taylor appeared to be thinking, as he wasted no time in scoring a takedown and turning his opponent for a first period pin. The sophomore remains undefeated and will look to continue winning big as the tournament progresses.

174-pounds - Ed Ruth - Win by fall (1:43)
Ruth stepped on to the same mat Taylor wrestled on just minutes later, and the result was nearly identical. Ruth scored a quick takedown and then pinned his opponent less than two minutes into the match. Ruth will need to continue wrestling well if he wants to finish the season undefeated and claim an individual national championship. Of the eight Division I wrestlers who are currently undefeated, three of them weigh in at 174-pounds.

184-pounds - Quentin Wright - Win by major decision, 11-0
In his final three matches of the Big Ten tournament, Wright didn’t wrestle as well as is capable of, and it resulted in a low scoring loss and two narrow victories. Thursday was a different Wright. His defense was great, as he didn’t allow a single point, and he picked his spot late in the match to score big points. The score was 3-0 entering the third period before a takedown and six near fall points put the match out of reach. If Wright wrestles like that every time, he could be preparing to make another run at a title.

197-pounds - Morgan McIntosh - Win by decision, 9-3
The match appeared to be destined for a low final score, but the final period changed that perception. McIntosh led 3-1 entering the third, but he started the period on top and quickly gained six near fall points. The true freshman should have had an easy major decision, but he got sloppy and allowed a reversal to move the score to 9-3. It was still an impressive victory, but McIntosh will need to be sharp when he faces No. 1 seed, Cam Simaz of Cornell, Thursday night.

Heavyweight - Cameron Wade - Win by technical fall, 17-2 (7:00)
Wade was cruising to a victory in the third period, but the senior then put a scare in hearts of Penn State fans. Wade got taken down and signaled for an injury timeout, and the heavyweight stayed on his back for a couple of minutes. The concern from fans was unnecessary, however, as Wade was merely poked in the eye prior to the takedown. He continued to wrestle and used a last second takedown to earn the tech fall. It’s a strong start for Wade, who will look to continue building momentum in his final tournament.