PITTSBURGH — Tyler Berger’s hopes of winning the 157-pound national title were stopped by an old nemesis.
Penn State’s Jason Nolf defeated the Nebraska senior for the third time in the past nine weeks Saturday night, taking control in the opening minutes for a 10-2 victory.
Berger finished his college career 0-6 against Nolf, a three-time national champion. On Saturday, Nolf recorded three takedowns and a near-fall in the first period to race to an 8-2 lead. Nolf defeated Berger 10-4 and 12-4 earlier this season.
Berger, making his first finals appearance, finished a standout career at Nebraska as a three-time All-American. He had 116 wins, ninth-best in program history.
Berger helped Nebraska finish 10th in the team standings with 51 points, its fifth straight top 10 finish. Penn State ran away with the team title, followed by Ohio State. Iowa was fourth.
In all, Nebraska finished with four All-Americans as earlier Saturday Isaiah White placed fifth at 165, Mikey Labriola was sixth at 174 and CJ Red was eighth at 141.
White, a junior who is a first-time All-American, won his fifth-place match 8-3 over Arizona State’s Josh Shields. Labriola, a freshman, lost his two matches Saturday by a combined three points, while Red has been an All-American his first two years at Nebraska.
It’s the second time in the past three years that the Huskers have finished with four All-Americans. The previous time that had happened was 2009.
Iowa had a national champion at 125 in sophomore Spencer Lee, who won his second straight title. Lee handled Virginia’s Jack Mueller 5-0. Lee was one of six Iowa All-Americans. No other Hawkeye finished higher than fifth.
Top 10 teams: Penn State 137.5, Ohio State 96.5, Oklahoma State 84, Iowa 76, Michigan 62.5, Missouri 62, Cornell 59.5, Minnesota 53.5, Rutgers 51.5, Nebraska 10.
Championship matches: 125: Spencer Lee, Iowa, dec. Jack Mueller, Virginia, 5-0. 133: Nick Suriano, Rutgers, dec. Daton Fix, Oklahoma St, 4-2 SV-2. 141: Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell, dec. Joey McKenna, Ohio St, 6-4 SV-1. 149: Anthony Ashnault, Rutgers, dec. Micah Jordan, Ohio St, 9-4. 157: Jason Nolf, Penn St, major dec. Tyler Berger, Nebraska, 10-2. 165: Mekhi Lewis, Va Tech, dec. Vincenzo Joseph, Penn St, 7-1. 174: Zahid Valencia, Arizona St, dec. Mark Hall, Penn St, 4-3. 184: Drew Foster, UNI, dec. Max Dean, Cornell, 6-4. 197: Bo Nickal, Penn St, dec. Kollin Moore, Ohio St, 5-1. 285: Anthony Cassar, Penn St, major dec. Derek White, Oklahoma St, 10-1.
