Just getting there was the tough part. That, and sitting around wondering if and when a referee would show up.

   "This was a great win for us considering what we had to battle through just to get here," coach Mark Johnson said after his sixth-ranked University of Illinois wrestling team rolled to a 22-10 victory over No. 20 Purdue Thursday night at West Lafayette, Ind.

   Because of hazardous road conditions, it took the bus carrying the Illini 31/2 hours to make the trip from Champaign. When the contracted referee couldn''t make it, former Boilermakers coach Don Corrigan was called in to serve as a fill-in. The match started 30 minutes late.

   Despite all the distractions, "we did a good job of concentrating and getting the job done," Johnson said. "It was a good, workmanlike victory."

   The win improved Illinois'' record to 6-0, including 2-0 in the Big Ten Conference. The Illini won seven of the 10 matches, including a 14-5 major decision by Jevon Herman at 177 pounds.

   Two-time All-American Ernest Benion (158) improved to 16-1 with a 6-0 victory. At 126, Illini freshman Carl Perry defeated former NCAA qualifier Shane Hanson 13-6 to raise his record to 9-1.

   Other UI winners were Lindsey Durlacher (118), Eric Siebert (150), Jamie Lee (190) and Seth Brady (heavyweight).

   The Illini will take on Northwestern at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Huff Hall.

Women swimmers home.

   The 22nd-ranked Illini women''s swimming team, which last hosted a meet in early November, will end that drought this weekend.

   At 6 p.m. today, Iowa will visit the IMPE Pool for a Big Ten dual against the Illini. At 1 p.m. Saturday, Illinois will play host to Indiana and Notre Dame.

   Saturday''s meet should give the Illini an idea of where they stand against a comparable Big Ten rival. In the league meet last year, Indiana placed sixth and Illinois eighth. Iowa placed 11th.

Women host tennis tourney.

   The UI women''s tennis team will play host to three teams this weekend in the First Federal/Fighting Illini Classic at the Atkins Tennis Center.

   The Illini take on Louisiana State at noon today, New Mexico at noon Saturday and Purdue at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. No team scores will be kept, but championships will be determined in the eight singles and four doubles flights by round-robin competition.

Men gymnasts open.

   The men''s gymnastics team, again under the direction of coach Yoshi Hayasaki, will open its season Saturday in the Windy City Invitational at Chicago.

   Hayasaki is starting his second stint as the UI''s coach. He directed the Illini men''s team for 20 years before serving as the school''s director of gymnastics programs from 1994-96.

   Hayasaki guided the men''s team to the NCAA title in 1989 and to four Big Ten titles from 1981-89.

   This year''s team includes two 1996 NCAA qualifiers, senior Greg McGlaun and junior Yuval Ayalon.

UI women on TV.

   Tonight''s Illini women''s basketball game at Penn State will be televised locally on a tape-delayed basis. SportsChannel will air the game at 11:30 tonight, while WILL will carry it at 12:30 a.m. Saturday.