After two weeks off following a narrow 23-19 win against Lehigh, No. 1 Penn State wrestling returned to action Sunday afternoon for its conference opener against Indiana. The Nittany Lions won the last nine bouts, eight of which via bonus points, as they rolled to a 44-3 win over the Hoosiers.

How It Happened

For the fifth straight dual, Penn State was in an early hole after the 125 lb. bout. Devin Schnupp wrestled defensively against Elijah Oliver, deflecting multiple shots through the first period as the bout was scoreless after three minutes. Oliver took the lead with an escape and takedown in the second period and maintained control over Schnupp through the remainder of the bout, en route to a 7-2 decision win.

At 133 lbs., No. 18 Corey Keener made his return to the starting lineup after injury forfeiting through the final rounds of the Keystone Classic and missing the dual against Lehigh. Keener returned in full form with an 11-3 major decision against Garrett Pepple. Sporting a wrapped left wrist, Keener looked strong with four takedowns and a reversal. A late takedown and riding time point gave him the major decision that put the Nittany Lions ahead of the Hoosiers 4-3, a lead they’d never relinquish.

Facing Indiana’s only ranked wrestler, Jered Cortez went back and forth with No. 12 Cole Weaver through the first two periods. With the score tied 5-5 and Cortez starting the third period on the bottom, the 141-pounder escaped for the decisive point with 1:20 to go and subsequently outlasted Weaver on his feet.

No. 1 Zain Retherford kept the Rec Hall crowd on its feet with a second period pin over Davey Tunon after jumping out to a 14-3 lead. No. 1 Jason Nolf bested his teammate by pinning Jake Danishek in the first period off a reverse headlock.

Jason Nolf doing Jason Nolf things. pic.twitter.com/XDFioUruBu

— Onward State (@OnwardState) December 17, 2017

After being sidelined for the team’s last dual and Keystone Classic, No. 1 Vincenzo Joseph won via forfeit following the intermission. The forfeit was the Nittany Lions’ third straight six-point win as they extended their lead to 25-3.

No. 2 Mark Hall kept the bonus points coming with an easy 15-0 technical fall over Devin Skatzka in the second period. After Nolf bested Retherford with a first period fall, No. 1 Bo Nickal edged Nolf by pinning Norman Conley in just 42 seconds by throwing him to the mat from the neutral position.

Here comes the…BO. pic.twitter.com/2BRsUWxXT1

— Onward State (@OnwardState) December 17, 2017

In the first match to last the full seven minutes since 141 lbs., No 9 Anthony Cassar majored Spencer Irick 15-5. No. 3 Nick Nevills closed out the dual with an 11-3 win over Fletcher Miller, aided by a critical riding time point

Wrestler(s) of the Dual

149 lbs. – HWT

The impressive run of the final seven weight classes flexed Penn State’s muscles as all seven wrestlers scored bonus points, giving fans a glimpse of what exactly the team’s firepower looks like in full form. Worth noting: this was all without No. 1 Vincenzo Joseph actually wrestling.

What’s Next

Before the Nittany Lions resume their conference dual season, they will travel to Chattanooga, Tenn. for the Southern Scuffle, one of the most prestigious in-season tournaments in the country and that features 27 of the nation’s top teams. After the Scuffle, Penn State will have ten days off before it visits Michigan for the first dual of the spring semester.