IU to finish home season

The season has been long and tough for the IU wrestling team. \nBattling constant injuries and other adverse factors, the Hoosiers struggled to obtain the team record and goals they had hoped for. This weekend will give them one last chance.\nFriday night marks the final home match for IU as it takes on Eastern Illinois (2-10). Not only is Friday night Senior Night, it is the last time the Hoosiers (8-11, 0-7) can give the home crowd a home victory.\n"We've been competing really well the last couple of weeks," coach Duane Goldman said. "They've wrestled well. I'd like to see them rewarded for their efforts."\nThe Hoosiers will attempt to defeat Eastern Illinois for the ninth consecutive time. Junior Greg Schaefer said the team needs to be ready to perform Friday.\n"We just need to be ready to wrestle for seven minutes," Schaefer said. "Eastern Illinois is going to come after us. I have the confidence that we can get the job done."\nSunday, the Hoosiers will travel to Evanston, Ill., to take on Northwestern in the final dual match of the season. This will be the final time for both teams to earn a Big Ten win -- the Wildcats are winless in seven tries as well.\n"We're going in the right direction, and hopefully we'll be able to pull it out," senior Viktor Sveda said. "It would be nice to pull two wins out and go out on a winning note."\nIU has won five of the last six matches, including 25 of 30 overall, against the Wildcats. The Hoosiers haven't lost at Northwestern since 1994.\nGoldman said he will continue to look for strong individual performances this weekend. He wants each guy to give the best match he can.\n"I'd like our guys that are capable of dominating to wrestle to that intensity," Goldman said. "I want each guy to do what they are capable of doing and have each guy represent himself to his ability."\nGoldman also wants to show other schools what to expect when the Big Ten Championships roll around.\n"I'd like to see us move forward," Goldman said. "I want to show how we will compete at the Big Ten."\nSchaefer said he would like to end on a positive note, but he knows a loss this weekend won't be the end to his season.\n"It's good for the confidence, but you need to keep everything in perspective," Schaefer said. "You can wrestle bad and win. You can wrestle good and lose.\n"You have to keep perspective and know that at Big Tens, it's a new season"