No. 1 Penn State tops No. 2 Iowa 23-14 in Big Ten showdown

FIRST PERIOD: 

Greg Kerkvliet is feeling the energy from this crowd, and he notches a takedown at the two-minute mark of the first period. Cassioppi gets the escape, and it's 2-1 with thirty seconds to go. These are two elite wrestlers who could likely meet again in the Big Ten and the NCAA tournament. 

SECOND PERIOD: 

Cassioppi chooses bottom to start the second period, and Kerkvliet doesn't want to give the Hawkeye any room. He's riding tough and has pushed his riding time up over a minute. This upperweight lineup for the Lions is unstoppable. Kerkvliet rides out Cassioppi for the entire second period, and he can feel that this dual is his. 

THIRD PERIOD: 

Cassioppi gives Kerkvliet the escape, and it's 3-1 with riding time secured for Kerkvliet. Thirty seconds to go. Ten seconds. Kerkvliet and Penn State take the victory. 

TEAM SCORE: PENN STATE 23, IOWA 14

FIRST PERIOD 

We've seen this match before but never in the Bryce Jordan Center. We're off! The first two minutes looked exactly as expected, no takedowns, but heavy handfighting. These are two tough guys. 

Watch their NCAA final match while we wait for Warner to get his head wrapped before the start of the second period 

SECOND PERIOD

Dean chooses bottom to start the second period. Warner runs the riding time up over 30 seconds and pushes Dean down with a tough mat return. This a big moment for Warner. Dean is out. The Nittany Lion is on the board. One minute to go. Warner has 46 seconds of riding time. Thirty seconds. Warner knows Dean's tough on top. He'll want to put up points here from neutral if he can. Dean holds the 1-0 lead heading into the third. 

THIRD PERIOD

Warner chooses bottom to start the third. Oh boy. He needs to get out quick. Dean has run down Warner's riding time, and now he's looking for that bow and arrow. The crowd knows, they see it. Seventy seconds left. Warner is hit with stalling. The ref calls potentially dangerous, so they'll reset. Warner nearly works to get out, but they go off the mat. Thirty eight seconds remaining. Warner is not in a good position here. Dean locks up riding time. Ten seconds. Warner battled, but Dean rode out Warner for the win. Penn State holds the six-point lead heading into heavyweight. 

PENN STATE 20, IOWA 14

FIRST PERIOD 

This is where Penn State will expect to pick up the pace and start rolling, but Nelson Brands is no easy opponent. Brands looks fearless so far in this bout. He's hard-nosed, and he isn't giving anything up. He's pushing Starocci around as much as Starocci is pushing him. To walk into Penn State territory with this focus is admirable. Starocci is patient and likely unbothered by this pace, but the first period will end scoreless. 

SECOND PERIOD

Starocci chooses down to start the second period and escapes after a hard 20-second ride from Brands. Starocci spoke with the Big Ten Network earlier this week about his confidence and work ethic, and his conditioning is on full display today. Despite the low score, the effort from both of these athletes is clear. Lots of fight right now in the middle of the mat. Thirty seconds left. 

Brands is hit with a stall warning, but he's absolutely in this bout. 

THIRD PERIOD

Brands chooses down to start the third. He'll need to escape and escape quick. Starocci is a gritty rider. His riding time surpasses 30 seconds. Brands is watching the clock. He knows he can't give up the riding time point, but Starocci is too tough and stays on top. Thirty seconds to go, and riding time is locked for the Nittany Lion. Brands is out, and he's on the board. The match is tied, though Starocci does having the riding time point. Ten seconds. Five seconds. Starocci holds on with a 2-1 win and secures three team points, but Brands is not happy (and he lets it show). 

TEAM SCORE: IOWA 14, PENN STATE 12

FIRST PERIOD 

Patrick Kennedy knows Iowa needs a win here before Penn State is expected to roll out three defending NCAA champs at 174, 184 and 197 pounds. Both guys take the mat with different types of knee protection, with Facundo's right leg covered in tape up and Kennedy's right knee sporting a brace. 

The two minute go by scoreless, but Facundo is shooting. The first period ends 0-0. 

SECOND PERIOD

Kennedy chooses down to start the second period, and he's out right away. The Hawkeye leads 1-0. One minute to go. Lots of effort here from both guys, but the wrestlers can't convert yet. Ten seconds to go. Kennedy will lead 1-0 heading into the second. 

THIRD PERIOD

Facundo gets a quick escape to start the third and tie the score. We're back to neutral with everything tied up at 1-1. One minute to go. Let's see what these guys can do as time ticks down. I wouldn't be opposed to overtime though, we'll see. Thirty seconds to go. Riding time is not a factor. Ten seconds. To overtime we go! 

SUDDEN VICTORY

Lots of pushing and shoving, but Facundo takes the first shot. Nothing. Ninty seconds to go. Shot from Kennedy, and he's close. Stalemate. Good defense from Facundo. The intensity is evident. These two guys know what's on the line. One minute to go. Kennedy goes in for another shot, but Facundo defends. Kennedy gets Facundo in a bad spot, but he holds strong. Ten seconds. Let's go to rideouts. 

FIRST TIE-BREAKER

Kennedy escapes Facundo in four seconds. Wow. That's the start he needed in these rideouts. Facundo goes neutral. He'll need a takedown to win it. Facundo goes in on a shot, but Kennedy defends. Four seconds. This one goes to the Hawk. That's a big win for Iowa, but you have to respect the confidence and grit from Facundo. That was quite the match. We're on to 174 pounds. 

𝙋𝙆 𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝘿𝘼𝙔!! wins by decision on tiebreakers, 2-1... gets out in four seconds... Facundo picks neutral and PK wins!

Iowa 14, PSU 9

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling)

TEAM SCORE: IOWA 14, PENN STATE 9 

FIRST PERIOD

In typical Max Murin fashion, the Hawk has kept the match scoreless through the first 90 seconds with tough handfighting and gritty defense. Nearly a takedown for Van Ness with some speed, but Murin holds him off. Less than a minute to go in the first period. Murin goes in for a shot on the edge, but Van Ness does an excellent job staying in position to hold him off. Ten seconds. We head to the second period 0-0. 

SECOND PERIOD

Van Ness chooses bottom to start the second period. In a match like this, riding time could be critical, and Murin stays on top with gutsy mat returns. Riding time creeps up over a minute. Van Ness gets an escape with less than 30 seconds to go in the period, so he's on the board first, but Murin's ride was impressive. 

THIRD PERIOD 

Murin chooses bottom to start the third period and gets out quick. We're all tied up at 1-1, but Murin's riding time sits comfortably at 1:14. Murin goes in on an attack, and we're scrambling. Stalemate. Another shot for Murin, and he converts. The Hawkeye veteran leads 3-1 with riding time secured. Fifteen seconds to go, but he's not letting Van Ness go. He rides out the Nittany Lion for the period for a 4-1 win. 

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠! downs No. 12 Shayne Van Ness by a 4-1 decision... late takedown sealed it... had 1:48 RT.

Iowa 11, PSU 6

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling)

TEAM SCORE: IOWA 11, PENN STATE 6

FIRST PERIOD

Lof action early from both guys, but no points yet. This match is getting chippy early. Woods goes in on an ankle pick, but he'll need to finish. The flexibility and scrambling from these two athletes is impressive. Woods picks up Bartlett's leg and pushes for the takedown, so he's on the board early in this one with a 2-0 lead. Woods now works to rack up riding time. One minute left in the period. Oh, and now he's working for the turn, but nothing yet. Bartlett is fighting hard. Woods' top game has been stellar this year, and he rides out Barlett for the rest of the period. Momentum Hawkeye with a 2-0 lead. 

SECOND PERIOD

Bartlett chooses bottom — a bold move after that first period — and he gets out quickly. Woods leads 2-1 with 90 seconds left in the period. The pace of the match has slowed, but there's still an intensity in both of these wrestlers' eyes. Ten seconds to go. Bartlett's escape is the only point of the period as we head into the third. 

THIRD PERIOD

Woods chooses bottom to start the third. He's out quickly and now leads 3-1. Woods also has 1:35 of riding time. Woods looks like he wants to go upperbody. He knows his Hawks need big points. Riding time is locked. Woods leads 3-1. Bartlett takes a shot, but Woods backs away. Less than a minute to go. Thirty seconds to go. Stalemate. Bartlett takes another shot, but Woods looks to hold on. Ten seconds. Now Bartlett looks for a throw, but this one belongs to Iowa. 

𝐔𝐧𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋!

No. 2 Real Woods hands Bartlett his first loss, wins a 4-1 decision.

Iowa 8, PSU 6

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling)

TEAM SCORE: IOWA 8, PENN STATE 6

FIRST PERIOD

The Bryce Jordan Center is packed for this top-ranked dual — it's quite the visual scene. Here comes Spencer Lee and Marco Vespa!

This is a little bit of a lineup shuffle for the Nittany Lions, as Gary Steen was listed as the probable starter. but we'll see how Vespa does against the three-time champ. 

Vespa is rolling! Wow. The Nittany Lions puts two on the board against Lee with an early takedown — what a start! Lee responds with two points of his own, and he's now going to work on top. 

That's an early tilt for Spencer Lee, and he racks up four more points to take a 6-2 lead. The refs call Lee for potentially dangerous, so the wrestlers are back to the middle. 

Another tilt for Lee, so add four more points for the Hawkeye. He leads 10-2 with 1:14 to wrestle. Rinse and repeat. Two more four-point tilts for Lee, and it's a first-period tech fall for the Iowa lightweight. The Hawks lead 5-0 after the first bout. 

𝓣𝓕!

#1 Spencer Lee opens the dual with an 18-2 tech fall over Marco Vespa at 125. 5, PSU 0

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling)

TEAM SCORE: IOWA 5, PENN STATE 0 

The Bryce Jordan Center is SOLD OUT. Action begins at 8:30 p.m. The dual will start at 125 pounds with the expected bout between No. 1 Spencer Lee vs. Gary Steen.

Follow along for live updates here at krikya18.com

🚨 TONIGHT | 8:30 PM

#2 vs. #1 Penn State

Watch on BTN or stream on the FOX Sports App.

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN)

Let’s take a look at the probable lineups for each team: