Wrestlers enter big weekend

The wrestling team hasn't been getting the results that it would like as of late, but the wrestlers are not letting that get them down. After two strong performances against top-ranked teams last weekend, the Hoosiers look to build on some of that momentum as they face Illinois and rival Purdue this weekend.\n"I just think guys are getting down," head coach Duane Goldman said. "Things aren't turning out the way they would like, despite the effort. They're starting to realize that all they can do is put their best foot forward. Everyone is up and a little more positive."\nMany of the wrestlers feel the same way as Goldman. \n"Any time you can build, it's a good thing," sophomore Coyte Cooper said. "You need momentum. We were missing the spark earlier on this season. We could use that going down the stretch."\nIU faces No. 15 Purdue Thursday night at Evansville Harrison High School. The Hoosiers (8-8, 0-4 Big Ten) are hoping to make it three straight victories over Purdue. The Boilermakers (12-3, 2-2) return four NCAA qualifiers from last season's team. As in any IU-Purdue match-up, the in-state rivalry factor comes into play.\n"As a team, they're a rival," Cooper said. "As a team effort, it's a lot more important (than other matches). The coaches have been stressing it."\nSenior Viktor Sveda sees the match as an individual effort, not as a rival match against his opponent.\n"There are individuals that I look at more as a rival," Sveda said. "But as a team, they are a rival."\nEven the coaches are big on the rivalry.\n"It's definitely a rivalry," Goldman said. "It's a big deal. We've won six of the last eight. We're going to go down and do our best."\nThe Hoosiers hope to continue to gain speed when they take on No. 13 Illinois at home Sunday. Illinois (9-2, 2-1) has won six straight over the Hoosiers, including a 39-0 defeat last year. The Illini return five NCAA qualifiers, two of which were All-Americans last season.\n"The morale of the team seems to be up," Sveda said. "We need to be more consistent now. We keep improving every time we go out. If we can be consistent in that, we can break out."\nThe coaches and players know that getting the positive results on the scoreboard won't be easy. They also know all they can do is give all they can.\n"Their best efforts are all I can expect from them," Goldman said. "I'm pleased with their attitude and their hard work"