Home meet battle with Illini looms

The Hoosier wrestlers return home after being on the road since the middle of December. The long, successful road trip saw IU go 4-1, with the only loss being to a top-10 Wisconsin team. The team finally returns home this weekend after many miles logged on the road. Awaiting them Saturday in Bloomington at University Gym is No. 2 Illinois. \nIU, 16-4 on the year, is coming off last weekend's split in Big Ten conference action. The win over Northwestern Saturday was a quick turnaround from Friday night's loss, and IU coach Duane Goldman knows positives can be taken out of the rebound win.\n"The guys reacted well after wrestling decently at Wisconsin," he said. "There were some good matches there, but I was real pleased with how they rebounded versus Northwestern. Now we got our work cut out for us versus Illinois this weekend."\n"We lost a couple of real close matches at Wisconsin," freshman Chris Hutchinson said. "Teams can take that as a good thing or a bad thing, and we took it as a good thing after the Northwestern win."\nThe Fighting Illini have the stats to back up their high ranking. They are 8-0 on the season, including 2-0 in Big Ten play. The last time these two teams met was two years ago, with Illinois beating the Hoosiers 22-9. The teams did not play last season because of inclement weather. The Illini have nine wrestlers ranked in various polls. In the 157-pound division, they sport the top-ranked grappler with Alex Tirapelle. Hoosier sophomore Matt Cooper draws the tough assignment of slowing him down. \nSophomore Nick Spatola gladly accepts the tough challenge awaiting the Hoosiers.\n"I'm real excited," he said. "This is why you wrestle in the Big Ten, so you can wrestle the best in the nation. It doesn't get any better than that. Our situation is that we've lost a few that we shouldn't have lost. We're not ranked yet. Illinois' got everything to lose, and we've got everything to gain."\n"Our competition is tough throughout the year," Goldman said. "We don't really prepare a whole lot different for a meet like this because of that. Our main preparation is to improve each week and to compete well in the Big Ten tournament."\nThe home meet begins at 5 p.m. Saturday. The Illini's high ranking coupled with the fact it is a home meet revs up the IU grapplers.\n"I think we can pull a big upset if we win those close matches," Spatola said. "Being that it is our home makes a difference in you want to defend your ground. At home, it's your territory and you have to come out on top."\n-- Contact staff writer Colin Burns at coaburns@indiana.edu.