IOWA WRESTLING

Instant reaction: No. 1 Penn State wrestling knocks off No. 3 Iowa in Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Cody Goodwin
Hawk Central

IOWA CITY — The top-ranked Penn State wrestling team came into a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena and knocked off the third-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday night.

The Nittany Lions took 6 of 10 matches to win, 19-13, ending the Hawkeyes' 29-match winning streak. Penn State improves to 14-0 this season and 6-0 against the Big Ten Conference. The Hawkeyes drop to 11-1 overall and 5-1 against the Big Ten.

Here are the quick results: 

No. 1 Penn State 19, No. 3 Iowa 13

  • 125: #7 Drew Hildebrandt (PSU) maj. dec. Jesse Ybarra (IA), 9-0
  • 133: #1 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU) dec. #3 Austin DeSanto (IA), 3-2
  • 141: #1 Nick Lee (PSU) dec. #2 Jaydin Eierman (IA), 6-4 (SV)
  • 149: #10 Max Murin (IA) dec. #19 Beau Bartlett (PSU), 4-1
  • 157: #12 Kaleb Young (IA) dec. Terrell Barraclough (PSU), 2-0
  • 165: #5 Alex Marinelli (IA) maj. dec. #11 Brady Berge (PSU), 10-2
  • 174: #1 Carter Starocci (PSU) dec. #2 Michael Kemerer (IA), 2-1 (TB1)
  • 184: #1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) dec. #17 Abe Assad (IA), 8-3
  • 197: #2 Max Dean (PSU) dec. #4 Jacob Warner (IA), 8-3
  • 285: #5 Tony Cassioppi (IA) dec. #3 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU), 7-2

Here are the quick stats:

Total Takedowns: Penn State 10, Iowa 8

Total Match Points: Penn State 41, Iowa 36

Here are the reactions from each match:

125: #7 Drew Hildebrandt (PSU) maj. dec. Jesse Ybarra (IA), 9-0

After a scoreless first period, Ybarra chose neutral to start the second, but midway through, Hildebrandt ran through a single-leg for a takedown and a 2-0 lead entering the third. There, Hildebrandt reversed Ybarra in the third, threw his legs in and cranked Ybarra over for four back points at the gun thanks to a nasty half-nelson.

That gave Hildebrandt a 9-0 major decision, earning a crucial bonus point to kick this dual off and handing Penn State a 4-0 lead.

133: #1 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU) dec. #3 Austin DeSanto (IA), 3-2

This match had all the intensity of an NCAA final. ADS took a lot of shots throughout the first period, enough to eventually force a stall call on RBY. ADS escaped to start the second, then forced a second stall call for a point and a 2-0 lead, but RBY used a slide-by to set up a shot that he turned into a takedown to tie it 2-2 entering the third. RBY escaped to start the third and hand-fought his way to a 3-2 victory, giving Penn State a 7-0 lead after the first two matches. The Iowa-heavy crowd wasn't too happy about that.

141: #1 Nick Lee (PSU) dec. #2 Jaydin Eierman (IA), 6-4 (SV)

A fantastic match with a weird ending. Another scoreless first period, but then Eierman escaped after 47 seconds in the second. He then tossed Lee to his back, but Lee rolled through and ultimately scored a takedown out of it for a 2-1 lead. Eierman escaped again but Lee scored another takedown on the edge at the gun for a 4-2 lead after two.

In the third, Eierman finally connected on a snap-and-go-behind for a takedown with 12 seconds left and rode out Lee to erase his riding-time advantage and force sudden victory. But there, Eierman forced an off-balanced shot and Lee easily circled behind for a takedown and the win. It was a little odd, given how electric that match had been.

In any case, Penn State led 10-0 after the first three matches. Less-than-ideal start for the Hawkeyes.

149: #10 Max Murin (IA) dec. #19 Beau Bartlett (PSU), 4-1

In a match Iowa absolutely had to have, Max Murin comes through thanks to a second-period ride that netted him 1:26 of riding-time, and a third-period takedown off a re-shot that iced the match and put the Hawkeyes on the board. Both guys here are plenty used to wrestling close matches, and Murin came through here in a big way, making the score 10-3 after four matches.

157: #12 Kaleb Young (IA) dec. Terrell Barraclough (PSU), 2-0

Another match that Iowa needed to have, and Kaleb Young comes through thanks to a second-period escape and a mean third-period rideout. Nothing flashy, and not a lot of offense otherwise, but it gives Iowa three more points to make it a 10-6 Penn State lead at the break.

165: #5 Alex Marinelli (IA) maj. dec. #11 Brady Berge (PSU), 10-2

Marinelli kicks off the second half of this dual with a massive major decision over Brady Berge. Marinelli scored three takedowns, two stall points and another for riding-time. He scored two takedowns in the second period for a big-time bonus-point.

That made the team score 10-10 with four matches left. Giddy up!

174: #1 Carter Starocci (PSU) dec. #2 Michael Kemerer (IA), 2-1 (TB1)

This match was just as intense as the one at 133. Went all the way to the tiebreaker to decide it. Starocci was in on a bunch of shots through the first and second periods, and Kemerer found his way into some re-shots during the third. He nearly scored two at the gun in regulation and again at the gun in sudden victory — the ref actually awarded Kemerer two but time had already run out. The crowd didn't like that.

In the tiebreaker, Starocci escaped in the first 30 seconds, and then rode out Kemerer in the second 30 seconds to win it, 2-1. There were a lot of confusing calls in that match. Iowa coach Tom Brands used his challenge brick because he thought Starocci should've been called for locked hands, but the no-call was held up on review.

Starocci's win gave Penn State a 13-10 lead with three matches left. This is one I'll need to rewatch.

184: #1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) dec. #17 Abe Assad (IA), 8-3

Gritty effort here from Assad, who surrendered two takedowns in the first and another in the second to the returning NCAA champion. Assad did well defending after those initial bursts, and was even in deep on a shot in the third period that Brooks defended well.

But this match gave Penn State a 16-10 lead, putting Iowa's back against the wall with two matches to go.

197: #2 Max Dean (PSU) dec. #4 Jacob Warner (IA), 8-3

…and Max Dean slams the door shut.

Warner came out and scored an early takedown and led 2-0 after the first, which became a 3-1 lead after Dean escaped to start the third period, but in the final minute, Dean scored a point for stalling, a takedown, then four backs on a turn at the gun for an 8-3 victory, icing the dual with one match still to go.

285: #5 Tony Cassioppi (IA) dec. #3 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU), 7-2

Tony Cassioppi gives this sold-out crowd a banger of a result to go home on, scoring two takedowns and adding another point for riding-time to secure a massive individual victory for him as it pertains to potential postseason positioning. Kerkvliet scored early in the first for a 2-0 lead, then Cassioppi came back with a takedown before the end of the first and never trailed the rest of the way.

Final: Penn State 19, Iowa 13.

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.