The NIU wrestling team hits the road this weekend to face Eastern Illinois on Friday night at 7:30 and to compete Sunday in the Indiana Hoosier Invitational.

NIU coach Ed Vatch is looking to fare better this weekend due to last weekend’s tough schedule. Vatch believed the team walked away from last weekend’s matches with some positive points.

“We were aggressive—we went out shooting against Northern Iowa,” Vatch said. “Northern Iowa is a strong squad who could very well win the national championship this year. A couple of days before they faced us they knocked off number one Iowa State.”

Vatch believes his squad had a great measuring stick when they faced UNI. “The biggest thing the match against Northern Iowa did was that it assisted the younger kids—they realized they are not far away from being a contending team. The only thing that beat us was their (UNI’s) experience,” Vatch said.

After the UNI match, Vatch talked at length with their coach, Don Briggs, and explained his philosophy to him.

“I explained my philosophy to their coach, on how we scheduled the toughest possible schedule we could,” Vatch said. “He agreed that we’re doing the right thing going against the best teams.

“For years, Northern Iowa was taking their bumps and bruises with the likes of Iowa and Iowa State, and now all those tough schedules of theirs in the past have paid off, because they are now ready to be a contender.”

Vatch is looking to take last weekend’s valuable experience and turn some heads in Friday’s match with Eastern Illinois (7-2).

“They have a strong squad. We wrestled them earlier and they controlled the matches,” Vatch said. “We are looking for a turnaround this weekend.”

Vatch is hoping Tino Gonzalez, Tom Hoy and Brett Messerli will add to the team having a good showing this weekend.

“Tino lost twice to this kid from Eastern named Campbell, and Tino’s made a nice turnaround since the Northern Iowa match,” Vatch said.

“Messerli will be wrestling this weekend for the first time this season due to injuries at 158 pounds, and Tom Hoy is back and I’m looking to see him contribute a lot this weekend.”

Out this weekend for NIU will be 177-pounder Anton Kossakowski due to mononucleosis. “I hope he’s back in a hurry,” Vatch said.

On Sunday, NIU travels to Indiana to compete in the Hoosier Invitational where host Indiana is favorite along with 17th-rated West Virginia. Eastern Illinois and Tennesse at Chatanooga will also be tough competition for the Huskies.