WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. –– Indiana wrestling trekked north for its annual in-state rivalry dual against Purdue this weekend. The meet, held in Mackey Arena, was advertised as “Mackey Mania” and had a strong crowd of both Indiana and Purdue fans in attendance.
Indiana spoiled Purdue's night, blanking the Boilermakers in the last five weights to secure the 25-11 victory Friday in West Lafayette.
Indiana's head coach Angel Escobedo has delivered three straight dual meet victories over Purdue. Escobedo now boasts a 5-2 record this season and is 1-2 in the Big Ten. Like last season, Indiana took seven of 10 matches in the dual, including two victories by technical fall. The Hoosiers also notched four ranked victories over their Purdue opponents with significant upsets at 141 lbs. and 174 lbs.
Graduate students Donnell Washington and Angelo Rini won matches by technical fall to add crucial bonus points to the team score. Additionally, No. 23 redshirt sophomore Gabe Sollars avenged last season's loss to Purdue’s No. 29 redshirt junior Ben Vanadia.
“I thought they wrestled really hard, made adjustments from our match against Rutgers and responded the right way,” Escobedo said after the win. “They showed that they are able to respond from a loss and come out here and fix their mistakes, which is all you can ask for as a coach.”
One of those wrestlers was No. 12 redshirt sophomore Tyler Lillard, who reversed a nagging loss from last season. Lillard had fallen twice to No. 33 Purdue redshirt junior Stoney Buell last season, including in their previous dual meet. Lillard made the most of this third opportunity and reversed those prior results, posting a 5-2 decision over Buell.
“Compared from last year to this year, I made more effort into making attacks,” Lillard said. “Even if I miss them, it's okay, I know that I’m making attempts ... I may not get the first one or the second one but I’m still working towards it.”
Lillard’s victory was the first after intermission, when IU trailed Purdue 11-8. His victory sparked the Hoosiers’ five-match win streak in the back half of the dual.
“My brother,” Lillard said when asked about his motivations. “I lost my brother in September, so you know that's always something that gives me light. Like, ‘Hey if he were still here, he would want to see me chasing my dreams,’ so I just keep that in my mind that I got to keep going for him.”
Just after Lillard's victory, redshirt senior Derek Gilcher pulled off the upset of the dual when he defeated No. 25 redshirt sophomore Brody Baumann in the 174 lbs. match. Gilcher, in just his second match at 174 lbs., snatched a close 2-1 decision in enemy territory. After the match, a roar of Purdue boos brought a smile to Gilcher's face as he walked off the mat.
“I mean this is a rivalry right here,” Gilcher said. “Just the atmosphere it’s crazy. I love it, this is what makes it fun.”
In a tense bout, Gilcher secured a late stall call to put him up 2-1 in the final 20 seconds of the bout. The Hoosiers’ persistent offense and attacks were enough to give him the late point and left just enough energy to fend off Baumann’s final attempts at an attack.
In another standout performance, redshirt sophomore Henry Porter, at 141 lbs., upset No. 27 Boilermakers sophomore Greyson Clark. Porter hit a slick ankle pick takedown in the first period and scored a riding time point to win the match. Porter held on late in the third period to gain his first ranked win of the season.
“All those guys, I’m proud of the way they competed,” Escobedo said. “They were able to overturn losses that they had or even upset guys that were higher ranked than they were.”
Indiana will return to action against Michigan State at 7 p.m. on Jan. 24 at Jenison Field House in East Lansing, Michigan.
