"Pretty solid performance today," head coach Jim Heffernan said. "We competed hard and were aggressive throughout. Daryl Thomas looked especially good and is our most improved guy this year. Conrad Polz also looked good. We need to continue to focus on getting better individually as the tournament season approaches. I really like the way we are competing but we know there is still time to make improvements."
Jackson Morse started the dual at 157 taking on Sawyer Morris of Indiana. Morse was on offense early as he scored a takedown and immediately gained riding time. Morse turns Morris for three near fall points to go up 5-0 before scoring two more near fall points as time expired in the first to lead 7-0. The two started neutral and Morris scored a takedown to cut the score to 7-2 however the Illini got the reversal and rode the Hoosier out to lead 9-2 going into the third. After starting on bottom, Morse scored a reversal and a three-point nearfall while Morris escaped. With the riding time point, Morse won 14-3 and the Illini begin with a 4-0 lead.
At 165, No. 10 Conrad Polz scored three takedowns against Preston Keiffer in the first period to go up 6-2 and elected to start down in second. The redshirt-junior got the escape and a takedown to lead 9-2 into the final period. Keiffer started down in the third and recorded the escape only to be taken down by Polz four times. Polz grabbed the riding time point and gave the Illini their second major decision in a row, winning 18-6 and increasing the match score to 8-0.
No. 12 Jordan Blanton faced Ryan LeBlanc who came out of the match earning a four-point move to go up on Blanton 4-0. Blanton got the escape and trailed LeBlanc 4-1 heading into the second. The Hoosier started down and Blanton let him up easily for the escape before scoring a takedown to trail 5-3. LeBlanc posted an escape and lead 6-3 into the final period. Blanton chose bottom for the third and scored the escape to bring the score closer, 6-4. With less than a minute left in the match, the Illini scored a takedown to tie the dual 6-6 and go into sudden victory. In overtime, a crazy scramble ended with a Blanton takedown and win 8-6. The Illini lead is pushed to 11-0.
At 184, Tony Dallago started the match quickly against Luke Sheridan, recording a takedown then a two-point nearfall to lead 4-0. The two ended the first with a score of 4-1 after a stalling warning was given to Dallago. Dallago started down to begin the second and immediately scored the pin at the 3:26 mark, his seventh of the season. The victory pushes Illinois' lead to 17-0.
No. 16 Mario Gonzalez took on one of Indiana's best wrestler in No. 3 Matt Powless. Gonzalez struck first with a takedown while Powless escaped, 2-1. Powless surged ahead 3-2 with another takedown before Gonzalez got out of the headlock attempt for an escape, 3-3. The Hoosier posted a five-point move to go up 8-3 on Gonzalez. At the start of the second, Powless started down and got the reversal to lead 10-3 and rode Gonzalez out the remainder of the second. The Hoosier collected the riding time point and took the match 11-3. The Hoosiers were on the scoreboard, 17-4.
Pat Walker took on Indiana's Adam Chalfant and was taken down before escaping to trail 2-1 after the first. Walker chose down for the start of the second and immediately escaped to tie 2-2. After not much action in the second, Chalfant started bottom for the third and escaped quickly to lead 3-2. Chalfant got the bout-clinching takedown winning 5-2 and bringing the match score to 17-7.
At 125, Jesse Delgado got back on track with a victory over Zach Zimmer. Zimmer came out very aggressively however Delgado scored the first takedown 2-0. Zimmer escaped and scored another takedown to lead 3-2. Delgado then escaped and posted a takedown to go ahead 5-3 before Zimmer escaped to make the score 5-4. With over a minute of riding time collected, Delgado scored a takedown and pushed the lead to 7-4 after the second. The Illini started bottom on the third and scored an escape and takedown to lead 10-4. Delgado dove in for the front-side cradle and got it for a three-point nearfall along with the riding time point to win 14-4 and put the Illini back on the board, leading 21-7.
After recording his ninth victory in a row on Friday, B.J. Futrell started right where he left off against Joe Duca of Indiana. Futrell scored three takedowns while Duca escaped twice to make the score 6-2 after the first. Futrell started on bottom for second and escaped, notched two more points, a two point near fall and a four-point move at the buzzer to go up 15-3. Duca started on bottom for the final period and escaped to make the score 15-4 before Futrell finished the match with another takedown and a four-point move to win 21-5 and push the Illini lead to 26-7.
At 141, Daryl Thomas defeated Matt Ortega for his second consecutive win this weekend. Thomas bear hugged Ortega and drove him into the mat, scoring a takedown while the Hoosier escaped, 2-1. Thomas then grabs a leg and downed Ortega, while Ortega escaped to make the score 4-2. In the second, Thomas scored three takedowns while Ortega escaped tree times to make the score 10-5 going into the final period. Thomas kept wrestling well in the third to take the 16-9 decision and increase the team score to 30-7 with one bout remaining.
No. 16 Eric Terrazas took on Taylor Walsh in the final bout of the match. Walsh lead 2-0 after the first period while Terrazas started up for period two. Walsh wiggled out of a tilt attempt by Terrazas and turned the Illini over for a reversal to go up 4-0 and lead into the final period. Terrazas chose neutral for the third period while Walsh notched another takedown to go up 6-0. The Hoosier grabbed the riding time and won 7-0 over Terrazas. However the Illini took the match 29-10.
The Illini will be back in action next weekend as they host their final home dual on Friday, Feb. 3 against Wisconsin. Senior Night will begin at 7 p.m. at Huff Hall.
Results:
157 - Jackson Morse (ILL) maj. dec. Sawyer Morris (IND), 14-3
165 - No. 10 Conrad Polz (ILL) maj. dec. Preston Keiffer (IND), 18-6
174 - No. 10 Jordan Blanton (ILL) dec. Ryan LeBlanc (IND), 8-6 SV1
184 - Tony Dallago (ILL) pinned Luke Sheridan (IND), 3:26
197 - No. 3 Matt Powless (IND) maj. dec. No. 16 Mario Gonzalez (ILL), 11-3
HWT - Adam Chalfant (IND) dec. Pat Walker (ILL), 5-2
125 - No. 5 Jesse Delgado (ILL) maj. dec. Zach Zimmer (IND), 14-4
133 - No. 5 B.J. Futrell (ILL) tech fall Joe Duca (IND), 21-5
141 - Daryl Thomas (ILL) dec. Matt Ortega (IND), 16-9
149 - Taylor Walsh (IND) dec. No. 16 Eric Terrazas (ILL), 7-0
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