No. 12 Illinois wrestling (5-0) stayed red-hot Monday night and took down No. 23 North Carolina (3-2) 24-14 in Chapel Hill. It marked the first time that the Illini are undefeated and have scored 20+ points in their duals since the 2015-2016 campaign. The win solidified Illinois as one of the nation’s best while setting a strong tone for its upcoming conference schedule.
Recap
The matchup was tightly contested, with each team trading momentum throughout. Illinois’ struggles continued in the 125-pound class as junior Caelan Riley dropped yet another opening matchup.
Illinois bounced back quickly, though. Redshirt senior Lucas Byrd and redshirt junior Danny Pucino won their 133-pound and 141-pound duals, respectively. The team then dropped its next two duals as redshirt freshman Kannon Webster’s and graduate student transfer Jason Kraisser’s undefeated seasons ended, losing in the 149-pound and 157-pound duals, respectively.
With Illinois down by four, redshirt freshman Braeden Scoles once again exceeded expectations, stepping up and delivering a pivotal five-point tech fall to put the Illini back up by one in the 165-pound weight class. The momentum continued as redshirt senior 174-pounder Danny Braunagel delivered another tech fall right after.
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However, the Illini’s run was halted, and redshirt senior Edmond Ruth was defeated shortly after in the 184-pound weight class. With the score at 17-14 heading into the final two duals, Illinois’ heavyweights, redshirt seniors Zac Braunagel and Luke Luffman, stepped up. They closed the deal and sealed a 24-14 Illinois win in the 197-pound and 285-pound weight classes, respectively.
Weight class clash
After another defeat in the 125-pound matchup, Byrd continued his win streak with a win over North Carolina redshirt junior Ethan Oakley, who was undefeated before this dual. Pucino bounced back after his defeat against Missouri to win the 141-pound round.
Ruth’s scratchy start to the season continued as he lost to North Carolina redshirt senior Gavin Kane in the 184-pound class. He was an All-American last season and lost only two matchups the entire season. This season, he’s already lost two. The Illini will want Ruth to improve before the all-important Big Ten duals.
In other major news, Kraisser’s undefeated start to the season ended as he lost to North Carolina redshirt junior Sonny Santiago, who also grabbed his first ranked win. The Illini were fairly dominant in the heavier categories, and strength across the lineup ensured a win despite the Tar Heels jumping off to an early 11-7 lead.
Big Ten time
It’s almost time for Illinois’ first conference dual. Illinois will face No. 30 Indiana (4-0) on Dec. 6 in both teams’ first Big Ten duals of the season. This starts a series of Big Ten duals, as the Illini will face eight Big Ten teams between Dec. 6 and Feb. 16. This will not only conclude its season but also decide Illinois’ fate for the Big Ten championships in March.
