No. 8 John Velez (Kings Mills, Ohio/Kings) gave Northwestern a huge boost to start the match by pinning Illinois' third-ranked Kyle Ott at 125 lbs.
The two exchanged shot attempts through the first period, but entered the second round scoreless. Velez began the second period by standing up for an escape, taking a 1-0 lead, then fended off a number of Ott takedown attempts to take his 1-0 lead into the final period.
Ott tied the score with 1:45 remaining in the match with an escape of his own, but Velez countered on an Ott shot attempt, rolled Ott over and came through with a thrilling pin to give Northwestern a 6-0 lead.
With the momentum in NU's corner, Daniel Quintela (St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park) took the mat for NU. While Quintela couldn't get the win at 133 lbs., he took control through the final period and prevented IU's Gabe Flores from notching a major decision.
With Northwestern holding a 6-3 lead, sixth-ranked Ryan Lang (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward) faced Illinois' Cassio Pero at 141 lbs. Lang got a hold of Pero's left leg and took him down midway through the first period to take a 2-0 lead. After Pero tallied an escape, Lang took a 2-1 lead into the second period. Pero began the period by nearly notching a takedown, but Lang scrambled and nearly turned it into a takedown of his own.
With the score still 2-1 in the third, Lang turned up his intensity and rode Pero for nearly the entire period. Lang remained in control and walked off with the win.
Marty Gould (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) took the mat next for the 'Cats, facing Illinois' Troy Tirapelle at 149 lbs. Tirapelle was awarded a number of early takedowns, but Gould held tough and trailed by just three entering the final period.
With 30 seconds remaining, Gould tallied a reversal to make the score 7-6 and shift the match's momentum in his favor. He attempted a late shot, but just couldn't hit and dropped the hard-fought match, 7-6.
At 157 lbs., Greg Hagel (Linwood, N.J./Blair Academy) faced No. 1 Alex Tirapelle. Hagel put up a valiant effort versus Illinois' All-American and nearly hit on takedowns throughout the match, but Tirapelle was just too much in the end and took the match, 10-2.
With the 'Cats trailing for the first time in the match, 18th-ranked Will Durkee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy) fell to Illinois' eighth-ranked Mike Poeta, giving Ilinois a 13-9 lead.
No. 2 Jake Herbert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) then looked to regain the lead for Wildcats when he took the mat versus the Illini's 16th-ranked Donny Reynolds.
Herbert rode Reynolds for a majority of the match and scored on a flurry of takedowns and reversals to take the major decision win, 15-6.
With the team score tied at 13-13 and just three weight classes to go, No. 11 Mike Tamillow (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) came up with a clutch victory versus Illinois' fourth-ranked Pete Friedl. Tamillow started the match by notching a takedown, then nearly scored again on a scramble late in the first.
Friedl tied the score at 2-2 with a second-period escape and the two entered the final period all knotted up. Tamillow regained the lead with an escape to start the third, but Friedl took a 4-3 lead on a takedown with 45 seconds remaining. Tamillow then tallied what would turn out to be a huge escape to tie the score at 4-4. The two traded shot attempts until the end of the match, when Tamillow was awarded the riding time point and defeated Friedl, 5-4.
With Northwestern holding onto a 16-13 lead, No. 12 Matt Delguyd (Mayfield Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) faced the Illini's ninth-ranked Tyrone Byrd. Byrd took a 3-0 lead into the final round, but Delguyd cut the score to 3-1 with an escape midway through the third. Delguyd repeatedly shot at the end, but couldn't get the takedown he needed and dropped the match, 3-1.
With the team score tied at 16-16, the pressure was on for the heavyweights.
No. 8 Fox faced Illinois' Matt Weight in the final match of the day. After a scoreless first period, Fox started the second period on top, but surrendered an escape to give Weight a 1-0 lead heading into the final round.
Fox tied the score with an escape to begin the third and the two entered sudden victory. After the sudden victory and first tiebreaker went by without a score, the two entered the final-tiebreaker session.
Starting the round down and with the crowd chanting "let's go Fox," the NU sophomore stood up for an escape to take a 2-1 lead with 10 seconds remaining. Fox outlasted Weight until the end and claimed the victory for Northwestern.
"This was a big win for us," head coach Tim Cysewski said. "This win shows that we can compete with and beat anybody out there."
With the win, Northwestern improves to 8-4 this season, 3-2 in the Big Ten and snaps a 10-match losing streak to the Illini.
The Wildcats return to action at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 as they host Michigan State.
#16 Northwestern 19, #3 Illinois 16
125 -- #8 John Velez (NU) fall #3 Kyle Ott (UI) 5:54 (6-0)
133 -- Gabe Flores (UI) dec. Daniel Quintela (NU) 10-3 (6-3)
141 -- #6 Ryan Lang (NU) dec. Cassio Pero (UI) 2-1 (9-3)
149 -- Troy Tirapelle (UI) dec. Marty Gould (NU) 7-6 (9-10)
157 -- #1 Alex Tirapelle (UI) MD Greg Hagel (NU) 10-2 (9-10)
165 -- #8 Mike Poeta (UI) dec. #18 Will Durkee (NU) 7-3 (9-13)
174 -- #2 Jake Herbert (NU) MD #16 Donny Reynolds (UI) 15-6 (13-13)
184 -- #11 Mike Tamillow (NU) dec. #4 Pete Friedl (UI) 5-4 (16-13)
197 -- #9 Tyrone Byrd (UI) dec. #12 Matt Delguyd (NU) 3-1 (16-16)
Hwt -- #8 Dustin Fox (NU) dec. Matt Weight (UI) 2-1 (TB2) (19-16)
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