Illinois wrestler defeats Sveda

EVANSTON, ILL. -- There couldn't have been a more appropriate atmosphere.\nJunior Viktor Sveda approached the mat opposite Illinois's Nate Patrick. \nIU wrestling remembers Nate Patrick. Last year, Patrick defeated IU's Ty Matthews en route to his second place finish at the Big Ten tournament. Earlier this year, Patrick and Sveda dueled twice, with each wrestler winning once. \nThese subplots combined for one of the most intense matches of the tournament. It also made Patrick's 4-2 overtime victory all the more difficult to swallow.\nAfter a quiet first period, the two titans traded points in the second period, and by the end of regulation, they remained locked at 2-2. With time ticking down in the overtime period, Patrick was able to wrap up Sveda's leg and seal the victory for his first Big Ten Championship.\nConsequently, he ended IU's only hope for an individual title.\n"I thought I controlled the match," said Sveda, who said he was disappointed, despite being seeded behind Patrick before the match. "He just shot in there and took me down. I knew I could beat him, and I got him in some situations where I should have taken advantage. I just should have finished."\nSome in attendance believe Patrick was stalling, but it wasn't enough to convince the officials.\n"He was definitely stalling," said assistant coach Pat Cassidy. "Patrick's a really good wrestler, and a good kid, but Viktor has to finish when he creates chances like that."\nWhile no one wanted Sveda to lose, his second place finish does propel him into the NCAA championships in two weeks. \n"I'll put money on it -- Sveda will beat him at nationals," Cassidy said. \nSveda wasn't the only Hoosier to have an impact over the weekend. Senior Kevin Stanley continued to put the finishing touches on his wrestling resume by taking fourth place in the 165-pound slot. Stanley defeated Penn State's Don Vecchio and Michigan's Charles Martelli before running into Wisconsin's Donnie Pritzlaff. It was the third meeting this season between Stanley and Pritzlaff, who went on to win his third consecutive Big Ten title. Stanley lost to No. 3 seed Brad Pike of Minnesota in an 8-3 decision in the third-place bout.\nSophomore Ty Matthews also stepped up for IU, placing sixth overall. The coaching staff praised his day one success, as Matthews (the No. 7 seed) defeated the No. 3 seed Nik Fekete of Michigan State. \n"This is all just preliminary. I had a great first day; I was moving my feet well and staying active," said Matthews. \nDay two wasn't as successful, but the sixth place finish also qualifies Matthews for the NCAA championships. \n"In the semifinals, I just got caught twice on my back. In my weight class, there's no dominant guy; there are eight guys that are all real tight. I didn't move my feet as well today. NCAAs are the light at the end of the tunnel for me. Big Tens are just preliminary.\"\nThere were some concerns about Matthews' conditioning, but coach Duane Goldman said he was pleased with the results.\n"He's shown that he's capable, he just hasn't shown the consistency," said Goldman. \n Freshman Coyte Cooper continued his outstanding season with a sixth-place finish at 141-pounds.\n The news was not so good for 125-pound sophomore Greg Schaefer, who was white-hot going into the tournament and arguably the Hoosiers best chance for an individual title after Sveda, Goldman said. \n Schaefer suffered a minor groin injury early on in day one of the tournament, which didn't pull him out of the lineup, but clearly limited his effectiveness. He lost three of his four matches over the weekend, including a 6-4 decision in the seventh place bout against Penn State's unranked Josh Moore.\n"I hurt the hamstring, but it didn't matter," said Schaefer. "I was wasting too much time on bottom and making too many high risk moves. I didn't wrestle well."\nDespite Schaefer's disappointing performance, the Big Ten coaches did not forget the breakout season that he had. Schaefer was named as one of only two wild card slots which makes him the fifth Hoosier to qualify for nationals this season. \n"It's a gift," said Schaefer. "One minute my season is over, then I'm told I get another chance. It's a clean slate."\nSeniors Gabe Cook (149-pound) and Mike Dixon (heavyweight) each finished eighth in their respective weight class.