Jan. 31, 2010
Full Results 
MADISON, Wis.--The No. 12 Wisconsin wrestling team (5-8, 1-2) won four individual matches on Sunday afternoon in a 22-15 loss to No. 13 Penn State at the UW Field House. The Nittany Lions now stand at 10-5-1 on the season with two conference wins and two losses.
In the first match of the afternoon, senior Drew Hammen took on No. 12 junior Brad Pataky at 125 lbs. Pataky recorded the first takedown of the match with 2:39 left in the first period and added eight more points, including two nearfall points, a reversal, riding time and two more takedowns. Hammen scored three escapes in the bout, resulting in a 11-3 major decision for Pataky and 4-0 lead for Penn Sate.
The Badgers then claimed their first and only lead of the night, 5-4, as No. 8 redshirt freshman Tyler Graff defeated freshman Bryan Pearsall by a 23-8 tech fall. Graff registered 10 takedowns in the match and three nearfall points, improving his overall record to 20-4.
Then at 141 lbs., No. 20 redshirt freshman Cole Schmitt battled junior Adam Lynch in a tight bout. Schmitt scored the first takedown of the match with 2:35 left in the first period. Lynch then responded with five straight points to end the second period up 5-2. Schmitt scored a reversal with 0:44 left in the third, but could not amass another point, losing the bout by a 5-4 decision and putting the Nittany Lions back on top, 7-5.
In a top-five matchup at 149 lbs., No. 2 senior Kyle Ruschell faced No. 5 sophomore Frank Molinaro. Molinaro scored the first takedown of the match with 1:10 left in the first period, but was immediately reversed by Ruschell, followed by a reverse of his own. Ruschell scored a reversal in the third period, but it was not enough as Molinaro registered two more escapes in the bout to win 6-5 and extend Penn State’s lead to 10-5.
The Nittany Lions then added six points to their score with a pin by No. 5 senior Cyler Sanderson over junior Greg Burke at 6:39. Burke scored five escapes in the matchup, but the loss resulted in a 16-5 lead for PSU.
No. 1 sophomore Andrew Howe then came through for the Badgers in a tough matchup against No. 8 Dan Vallimont. After a scoreless first period, Vallimont registered an escape, followed by a takedown for Howe to end the second period. Howe added five more points in the third with a takedown, escape, riding time and a fleeing call on Vallimont to win the match 7-2. Penn State then led 16-8.
At 174 lbs., true freshman Brendan Ard competed in his first bout since Nov. 22 against freshman Justin Ortega. The match was even at 4-4 with three seconds left in the third period when Ard scored a takedown to win the match 6-4, cutting the Nittany Lions’ lead to 16-11. Ard score three takedowns in the matchup.
The 184 lbs. weight class featured two ranked wrestlers in a low scoring match. No. 16 sophomore Travis Rutt was defeated by No. 13 senior David Erwin in a 2-0 decision. Erwin scored his points with an escape in the second period and riding time at the end of the match.The win gave the Nittany Lions a 19-11 lead with two matches to go.
No. 8 junior Trevor Brandvold then scored his second major decision of the year over sophomore David Crowell at 197 lbs. Brandvold scored four takedowns, a reversal and riding time to win the match 11-3, extending his win streak to five-straight.
Wisconsin trailed 19-15 heading into the final bout of the afternoon, needing a major decision from junior Eric Bugenhagen at heavyweight to tie things up. However, No. 11 sophomore Cameron Wade was victorious, defeating Bugenhagen 4-0, ending the day for Penn State with a 22-15 victory over Wisconsin.
The Badgers now hit the road to take on No. 25 Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. They then travel to Champagne-Urbana to face No. 20 Illinois in a 1 p.m. match on Sunday.
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Justin Mozer
Athletic Communications
