Illinois spring break sports briefs

Illinois+Isaiah+Martinez+wrestles+with+Michigans+Logan+Massa+in+the+165+pound+weight+class+during+the+match+at+Huff+Hall+on+Friday%2C+January+20.+Martinez+won+by+decision+and+the+Illini+defeated+the+Wolverines+34-6.

Austin Yattoni

Illinois’ Isaiah Martinez wrestles with Michigan’s Logan Massa in the 165 pound weight class during the match at Huff Hall on Friday, January 20. Martinez won by decision and the Illini defeated the Wolverines 34-6.

By Tatiania Perry, Assistant sports editor

Although the Illinois men’s and women’s basketball teams made news over spring break, other Illini sports competed during the break. Here is a rundown of some of the headlines Illini athletes made last week.

Martinez loses title to Penn State in NCAA championship

Junior Isaiah Martinez fell to No. 3 Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State at the NCAA championship, collecting the runner-up title. This was the junior’s second career loss.

Martinez started with an early lead over Joseph at the Scottrade Center, recording a takedown in the first minute. Soon after, the Penn State freshman escaped and earned his first takedown, thus taking the lead. Martinez came back and tied the match with an escape at the end of the first period.

The two continued their back-and-forth match in the second period as Martinez retook the lead, 4-3, after an escape. Joseph responded with another takedown, tying the score again.

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Martinez initially retook the lead in the third period, though as he went for the takedown, Joseph reversed the momentum and took the two-time champion down on the mat, pinning him with 1:25 left on the clock.

Martinez’s all-time record is now 98-2.

Overall, the team the finished 11th with 43.5 points.

Men’s tennis loses twice after an extended break

After taking 19 days off, Illinois played TCU and California over the weekend.

Illinois fell to TCU, 5-2.

The Horned Frogs had an early advantage, winning doubles matches on the first and third courts. Aleks Vukic and Zeke Clark were the two Illini singles victories.

Illinois then fell 4-3 to California on Saturday, moving its record to 9-7.

California won the doubles point with wins on Court One and Two.

The deciding match came on Court Four as California’s Filip Bergevi defeated Julian Childers.

The team will be competing again Monday against Stanford.

Men’s track and field begins outdoor season

At the UNLV Invite Saturday, the team earned titles in the all the open sprint events, the 4x100m relay and the hurdle events.

To begin the day, the 4x100m relay ran a sub-40 time, a feat they could not accomplish last season. The relay team consisting of freshman Josh Eiker, sophomores Joe Haight and Devin Quinn, and junior Mo Maat ran a 39.68.

After placing fourth in the NCAA Indoor Championship, junior David Kendziera opened up his outdoor season collecting both hurdles titles.

The Illini swept in the 100m; Quinn clocked a 10.43 and runner-up Maat timed a 10.54.

In the 200m, Quinn claimed his second title of the day, running a 21.16, and runner-up Haight completed it in 21.52 seconds.

In the 400m, Kenneth Allen clocked a 47.27 for the title.

The team finished first out of eight teams with 173 points.

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