BETHLEHEM - The fifth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team beat No. 10 Lehigh, 24-12, Friday night.
The Nittany Lions won six of 10 bouts, bolted out to a big early lead and coasted to the victory to take a 63-34-3 lead in the all-time series.
True freshman Nico Megaludis (125) put Penn State up 3-0 early with a 4-0 win over Lehigh's Mason Beckman. Lehigh countered with a 10-7 win for Chris Dinnien over Lion junior Derek Reber at 133.
Junior Bryan Pearsall made his season-dual debut with a 12-2 major over Jimmy Carucci at 133. Three-time All-American Frank Molinaro, ranked No. 1 at 149, dominated Lehigh's Anthony Salupo to the tune of a 14-3 major with 3:53 in riding time.
Red-shirt freshman Dylan Alton, at 157, majored Sean Bilodeau, 10-1, to give Penn State a 15-3 lead at the break.
In marquee matchup at 165, Penn State All-American David Taylor, ranked No. 1, downed Brandon Hatchett, 8-5, with 1:09 in riding time. Other winners included All-American Ed Ruth at 174, who won by injury default.
Penn State (2-1) hosts West Virginia on?Sunday. Lehigh fell to 5-3.
125 - Megaludis, PSU, dec. Beckman, 4-0. 133 - Dinnien, L, dec. Reber, 10-7. 141 - Pearsal,l PSU, maj. dec. Carucci, 12-2. 149 - Molinaro, PSU, maj. dec. Salupo, 14-3. 157 - Alton, PSU, maj. dec. Bilodeau, 10-1. 165 - Taylor, PSU, dec. Hatchett, 8-5. 174 - Ruth, PSU, inj. def. Brown, 5:00. 184 - Hamlin, LU, dec. Wright, 8-3. 197 - Kennedy, L, dec. Ortega, 2-0. 285 - Rey, L, dec. Wade, 3-2.
Records: Penn?State (2-1), Lehigh (5-3).
