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TechnographWrestling ends Big Ten schedule with home loss
By Ryan Dixon
Posted: 2/25/08 Section: Sports
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After a 31-6 trouncing of unranked Purdue on Friday, the Illini (13-4, 5-3 Big Ten) won only four of 10 matches Sunday in falling to the Hawkeyes 21-12.
Three of the six Illinois losses against Iowa (21-1, 8-0) were by two points or fewer, including a pair of losses in sudden victory overtimes.
"We had a chance to win three tight matches; we win two out of three of those and we win today," head coach Mark Johnson said. "Against a team like this you can't let those slip away. You have to take care of your opportunities and we just didn't get it done. We wrestled well enough to win but we didn't get it done."
Senior Gabe Flores (125 pounds) wrestled his last match at Huff Hall on Sunday in front of a crowd of 2,341 that included Flores' mother, Patricia.
"Coming out, seeing Huff Hall packed the way it was, with all these people coming out supporting us - it's something that I'll never forget," Flores said. "It's probably the most emotional thing I've ever been through. I went to the locker room and a couple tears came out. It's emotional, my mom being here, probably one of the greatest days of my life."
Flores, ranked eighth in the country, lost his match 6-4 in sudden overtime victory to No. 2 Charlie Falck.
The crowd erupted when Flores got an escape in the third period, but Falck then got a takedown on Flores to send the match to overtime. The Hawkeye took Flores down again just 37 seconds into the extra time to secure the win.
After the match, Flores blew kisses into the air as a gesture of appreciation to the crowd.
"(Seeing Gabe wrestle) meant a lot to me because this was my first time seeing his first home match ever, and I know it was very important for him for me to be here also," Patricia said. "I really wanted him to win today for everybody, not just for me, but for everybody; but I was really, really humbled by everything that he did today. He's my son and I love him, and I think he's done awesome for Illinois."
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