University Park, Pa., Feb. 24, 2002 - The Penn State wrestling team dug itself a hole to large to climb out of Sunday at the Bryce Jordan Center as they dropped their final dual meet of the season to No. 14 ranked Purdue, 21-17. The loss to Purdue, the first for Penn State in eight series meetings with the Boilermakers, dropped Penn State to 6-12; 3-5 in Big Ten action, for the season while Purdue improved to 15-5, 4-4 in the Big Ten.

Penn State started the dual meet off in good fashion as No. 19 ranked 165-pounder Doc Vecchio downed Purdue's Oscar Santiago, 8-4. For Vecchio it was his 10th dual meet victory in his last 12 starts. He improved his record to 28-10 on the year and ends the season as the team leader in dual wins with 11 and dual meet points with 39.

Purdue quickly turned things in its favor as the Boilermakers roared through the next five bouts posting a pair of decisions, a major decision, technical fall and a pin to take a commanding 21-3 lead.

Purdue's Ryan Lange, ranked No. 9, got the ball rolling with a 19-4 technical fall over Todd Brennan at 174. Jon Fitch major decisioned Curt Thompson, 16-4, at 184, while Jon Bush got an 8-4 decision over Ryan Cummins at 197. Jake Vercelli, ranked No. 6, posted a similar score, 8-4, in dropping Pat Cummins at heavyweight and No. 3 ranked Chris Fleeger capped off the run by pinning Justin Kast at 1:19 of their 125-pound bout.

Penn State then mounted a comeback winning the last four weights on the day. Sophomore Marat Tomaev downed Rene Hernandez, 8-6, at 133 to get Penn State back on the board and sophomore Scott Moore brought the crowd to life with an 18-3 technical fall over Randy Pursley at 141 to bring the score to 21-11. The win kept Moore, ranked No. 14, perfect in Big Ten dual action at 7-0 and gives him a shot at a top two seed at the Big Ten Tournament.

Junior Nate Wachter kept the winning string alive with an 11-8 decision over Dan Jankowski at 149 pounds. With the meet salted away with Purdue up 21-14, freshman James Woodall gave the crowd something to cheer about as he closed out the competition with a 6-3 decision over Brad Harper at 157.

Penn State is off next week and then returns to action at the Big Ten Championships in Champaign, Ill., March 9-10.

Purdue 21, Penn State 17
Feb. 24, 2002
Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, Pa.

165 #19 Doc Vecchio (P)S dec. Oscar Santiago (P), 8-4 3 0
174 #9 Ryan Lange (P) Tech Fall Todd Brennan (PS), TF19-4;5:26 3 5
184 Jon Fitch (P) Maj. Dec. Curt Thompson (PS), 16-4 3 9
197 Jon Bush (P) dec. Ryan Cummins (PS), 8-4 3 12
Hwt. #6 Jake Vercelli (P) dec. Pat Cummins (PS), 8-4 3 15
125 #3 Chris Fleeger (P) pinned Justin Kast (PS), F;1:19 3 21
133 Marat Tomaev (PS) dec. Rene Hernandez (P), 8-6 6 21
141 #14 Scott Moore (PS) Tech Fall Randy Pursley (P), TF18-3;7:00 11 21
149 Nate Wachter (PS) dec. Dan Jankowski (P), 11-8 14 21
157 James Woodall (PS) dec. Brad Harper (P), 6-3 17 21

Attendance: 1,200
Penn State: 6-12; 3-5 Big Ten
Purdue: 15-5; 4-4 Big Ten