Stanford Falls to Penn State

STANFORD, Calif. -  Despite victories from Jim Wilson (165) and Joey McKenna (141), the 18th-ranked Stanford wrestling team was unable to upset No. 1 Penn State in its home opener on Sunday afternoon, falling to the Nittany Lions 31-12 in front of more than 2,500 fans in Maples Pavilion. The Cardinal moves 2-1 on the season, having previously defeated Cal Poly and Chattanooga on the road. Penn State is now 4-0 as it vies for its fifth NCAA title in six years.

Ranked sixth nationally at 165 pounds, Wilson took an early lead over Penn State freshman Shakur Rasheed, scoring a takedown 30 seconds in, only the 11th given up by the Nittany Lions this season. The Lodi, California native led 2-1 after the first period, but Shakur battled back, recording an escape to tie the match at 2-2 in the second. The score held until early in the third period, when Wilson's escape gave him the advantage for good, adding another takedown late to win 6-3. Wilson moves to 6-1 on the year and 3-0 in duals.

It would be Stanford's only lead of the afternoon, as Penn State went on to win the next three matches, including Morgan McIntosh's pin of redshirt freshman Boomer Fleming at 197 pounds. The top-ranked collegiate wrestler at that weight, McIntosh notched four takedowns before securing the pin at 6:11. No. 8 Bo Nickal took an early lead for the Nittany Lions against Keaton Subjeck at 174 pounds, but the redshirt sophomore who sported a 6-1 record entering the match for the Cardinal battled back to cut the PSU advantage to 4-3 heading into the third period. Nickal took over from there, tallying three takedowns in the last two minutes to take a major decision. A few minutes later, Penn State's Matt McCutcheon defeated the previously unbeaten Garet Krohn at 184 pounds, prevailing 6-3 after a defensive struggle early in the match.

Penn State then forfeited the 285-pound match to Josh Marchok (8-1), allowing Stanford to pull within four points at 13-9. The Nitanny Lions outscored the Stanford 18-3 from there on out, only surrendering points to McKenna at 141 pounds.

Returning NCAA qualifier Connor Schram was up next for the Cardinal at 125 pounds, facing No. 4 Nico Megaludis. Schram held off several early Medaludis attacks, and the first period ended with no score. A stall penalty on Schram gave Megaludis a 1-0 advantage, and that score would hold until the third, when Megaludis recorded his first takedown to take 4-0 lead en route to a 7-1 victory.

No. 8 Jordan Conaway gave Penn State another six-point victory at 133 pounds, jumping out to a 5-0 lead over Stanford sophomore Mason Pengilly. Conaway scored four takedowns, ultimately winning 10-4 and improving to 4-0.

McKenna, ranked fourth at 141 pounds, took on fifth-ranked Jimmy Gulibon in what was easily the most anticipated match of the dual. The true freshman was aggressive from the outset, taking Gulibon to the mat almost immediately with a double-leg takedown for a 2-0 lead. But Gulibon didn't fold, battling McKenna tough in the second period and most of the third, until McKenna's takedown with 50 seconds remaining sealed the 7-3 decision.

Penn State closed out the dual, which was the first meeting between the two schools, in strong fashion, getting a pair of late pins courtesy of 149-pounder No. 2 Zain Rutherford and 157-pounder No. 4 Jason Nolf. Nolf, facing the Cardinal's Walker Dempsey, surrendered an early takedown, his first of the year, but was dominant thereafter, scoring 10 takedowns of his own before pinning Dempsey at 5:24.

Stanford will take nearly a month break from competition before taking on CSU Bakersfield for a conference dual on Dec. 17. The Pac-12 Networks will televise the dual at 5 p.m. PT. Admission is free.

No. 1 Penn State 31, No. 18 Stanford 12