Penn State Wrestling’s Shayne Van Ness Dominates Big Ten Championships’ Session Two Consolation Matches
After three Penn State wrestlers dropped their opening bouts of the Big Ten tournament Saturday, the grapplers moved into consolation action Saturday night.
First to the mat was Gary Steen at 125 pounds. Steen lost to Maryland’s Braxton Brown in the first round with a score of 14-0, and not much changed for the freshman in his next bout.
Steen then faced Michigan’s Jack Medley, but swiftly went down 4-1 after the first period. He could not regain control and suffered a 7-2 loss, ultimately placing him in the 9th and 10th place bout in session three.
Next, Shayne Van Ness took to the mat, facing Jaden Reynolds from Purdue. Van Ness jumped out quickly with a 3-0 lead and 2:33 riding time after the first period. Later, he extended the edge to a 10-3 mark after the second. The redshirt freshman then secured his spot in the upcoming NCAA Championships with a 19-7 major decision win.
Alex Facundo was next in the session two consolation against Nick South from Indiana. Facundo earned a late takedown in the first to go up 2-0 and then added on another point to lead 3-0 after two. He then finished off the bout with a 3-1 win, which moved him on with Van Ness.
Starting off the next round of consolation bouts, Van Ness then met Chance Lamer from Michigan. Van Ness immediately set the tone by gaining a takedown and four near-fall points, catapulting to a 6-0 lead. He then added four more points to lead 10-3, before finishing up with 13-4 default victory due to an opposing injury.
Finishing off the consolation matches for Saturday, Alex Facundo faced Nebraka’s Bubba Wilson. Facundo started on top with an escape in the first but ended up down 3-1. He could not find the points he needed, which ultimately saw him drop the bout, 3-2. Facundo will now wrestle for a seventh-place weight class finish during session three.
Seven Nittany Lions will now compete in the semifinals Saturday night to finish off session two.
Your ad blocker is on.
Please choose an option below.
Purchase a Subscription!