Wrestlers to face nation's top team

The Hoosier wrestling team had practice as usual Thursday as the wrestlers watched old footage, joked and continued their regular training regimen.\nBut tonight's matchup isn't just another meet. \nThe Hoosiers will face the No.1-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers at 7 p.m. at the University Gym. \n"They're probably the most solid team top to bottom that there is in the nation," coach Duane Goldman said. "We have our work cut out for us. We're not favored in a single match."\nMinnesota (13-1, 2-0 Big Ten) will send nine top-10 wrestlers to the mat tonight, the lone exception being 14th-ranked Jacob Volkman, who will face an injured Coyte Cooper at the 174-pound weight class. Volkman is the only Gopher starter with more than four losses in the season. \nThe Hoosiers now face how to prepare to go against the talent.\n"Practice has been toned down," Goldman said. "We've just been too banged up. Two days of practice isn't going to be enough to get everyone at 100 percent."\nGoldman said he expects all of his regular starters to wrestle tonight, including Greg Schaefer (125 lbs.), Brian Smiley (133 lbs.), Coyte Cooper (141 lbs.), Gabe Cook (149 lbs.), Alex Lapointe (157 lbs.), Kevin Stanley (165 lbs.), Jack Wade (174 lbs.), Viktor Sveda (184 lbs.), Ty Matthews (197 lbs.) and heavyweight Mike Dixon.\nWhile there should be several hotly contested matches, all eyes will be on Sveda. Ranked fifth nationally, he is one spot behind his opponent, fourth-ranked Damion Hahn. The two met earlier this year in the Midlands Tournament in a battle for third place. Sveda led 3-2 until Hahn escaped with just :01 left to force overtime. Hahn prevailed in the extra period on his way to a 5-3 victory. Sveda is undoubtedly looking forward to the match.\n"I'm definitely looking forward to it," Sveda said. "He's one of those guys that I've had trouble with in the past, but I feel like I can beat him. I will beat him."\nGoldman said Sveda might be IU's best chance for an upset.\n"We have a pretty good shot at beating that guy. We lost a close match last time," Goldman said. "I'm not calling any upsets, we're just going to have to see what happens."\nSveda said he feels no added pressure, despite the rankings.\n"I don't really look at it like that," he said. "I want to win. I want to beat this kid."\nWhile Sveda and Hahn will be the main event, there are some who feelthere's a lot more potential for a huge upset than one might think.\n"This is what college wrestling is all about," assistant coach Charles Burton said. "You get a chance to go against the No. 1 team in the country"