IU returns to winning ways

After what seemed like a losing streak that would never end, IU wrestling recorded three victories in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Duals.

IU improved its overall team record to an even 9-9 on the season after six straight losses, with 33-12 wins against Lindenwood-Belleville and SIUE and a shutout dual against Knox College, with a final score of 45-0.

Stepping onto the mat battling with a losing streak and coming off of multiple losses in Big Ten duals, IU Coach Duane Goldman said his wrestlers were ready to duel, yet hesitant.

“We’ve been through kind of a rough patch, so I think that some of the guys were feeling a little tentative,” Goldman said.

As the duals progressed, though, the doubt soon subsided, and the Hoosiers wrestled with full force. IU opened against Lindenwood-Belleville, and proceeded to capture the first four weight classes. IU featured a somewhat different lineup than was expected, with the absence of sophomore Taylor Walsh, who did not make weight for these duals.

Goldman noted he wanted to feature some of the wrestlers who were not normally in the normal lineup, which led to the 33-12 victory over Lindenwood-Belleville.

“Ryan Konz wrestled, Joe Randazzo wrestled, and a lot of guys who didn’t normally start, they all got in the lineup,” Goldman said. “It’s good to get those guys some matches. We did the same thing against Knox College.”

The new lineup generated four pins in the first match, and the Hoosiers only dropped the 157-pound, 197-pound and heavyweight classes.

Next up for the Hoosiers was winless Knox College, which turned into a one-sided match favoring the Hoosiers. IU earned three pins, by sophomores Joe Duca and Luke Sheridan and junior Ryan LeBlanc. In addition to the pins, Knox forfeited three of the 10 weight classes, including the 197-pound position, which IU has been forfeiting for much of the season.

With the combination of pins and forfeits, the Hoosiers took a 45-0 victory, moving on to the last dual of the day.

Up last for the Hoosiers was SIUE, whom the Hoosiers have defeated before. This time proved no different for IU, winning handily, 33-12. IU only gave up one loss, at the 174-pound weight class, with a loss by sophomore Cheney Dale.

Both LeBlanc and Sheridan would pick up their second pins on the day, and sophomore Preston Keiffer earned his first pin on the day.

With these three wins, Goldman said the team has found a new sense of confidence after breaking a losing streak that had been pulling down the team for so long.
“After we won a couple of matches they definitely wrestled best in their last match,” Goldman said. “They’re definitely a lot happier on the bus going home, so it’s always good to win.”

In addition, Goldman said he was pleased with the wrestlers that have continually been putting up wins for the team, as well as the wrestlers who stepped it up in today’s duals to deliver the much-need victories.

In looking forward to the last home match against Northwestern, Goldman said he hopes these wins will have a positive effect on the wrestlers.

“Hopefully it set us up to have a good week in practice and hopefully push forward again,” he said.