Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Welcomes No. 25 Northern Illinois
1/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
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Jan. 16, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern's wrestling team will take center stage at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday at 7 p.m. for the first time in more than a month when No. 25 Northern Illinois invades Evanston. Northwestern (5-3), which last hosted a dual match Dec. 14 against Wisconsin-Parkside and Eastern Illinois, went 3-3 in its stint away from the Chicagoland area.
The battle-tested Huskies come to Evanston for the second time this season. NIU placed 15th at the 40th Midlands Championships in late December. Northern Illinois has already taken on five Big Ten opponents, including an upset win against a perennial top-10 team in Ohio State.
NIU, which is 7-5, boasts the highest ranked wrestler in the Mid American Conference, second-ranked Scott Owen. At 157 pounds, Owen has won eight straight matches, all by pin or technical fall. NU's top 157-pounder, Mike Kimberlin (Bradley, Ill./Bishop McNamara), is riding a six-match winning streak and is a team-best 22-8. Ben Heizer is the eighth-ranked 184 pounder, and Josh Wooten is the No. 17 wrestler at 141 pounds.
Senior John Giacche (Flemington, N.J./Blair Academy) gets a chance to avenge two early-season losses to Wooten, who prevailed 5-1 at the Michigan State Open and 4-3 at the 40th Midlands.
Josh Ballard (Carlsbad, N.M./Carlsbad) split a pair of matches with Oliver Vasquez at 149 pounds. Ballard knocked off Vasquez 4-2 at the MSU Open but lost 5-3 at the Midlands Championships.
Last season, NU visited NIU, which held on for a 24-15 win.
