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Wesleyan women qualifies 5 for nationals
Andy Krutsinger
Feb. 23, 2021 11:10 pm, Updated: Feb. 24, 2021 2:22 am
STEVENS POINT, Wi. - The Iowa Wesleyan women's wrestling team was finally able to get its talents on the mat over the weekend, as they competed in their first meet of the year, the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship Northwest Regional.
The Tigers brought five wrestlers to the meet, which included four schools. All five were named national qualifiers.
Three Iowa Wesleyan wrestlers took third place at the meet. Alaina Sunlin (109 pounds), Ashden Welty (116 pounds) and Clara Padua (155 pounds) all took the bronze.
Sunlin received a first-round bye before getting pinned by Emily Shilson of Augsburg University in the next round. Sunlin received another bye in the consolation finals and then pinned Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Kelly Enriquez by pinfall in the third place match.
Welty was pinned by Wisconsin Stevens Point's Abby Nelson in her first match after receiving a first-round bye. She received another bye in the consolation semifinals, and won the third place match when Elizah Leonard of North Central University couldn't compete due to injury.
Padua-Cruz slro received a first-round bye before getting beat on a technical fall by Augsburg's Marlynne Deede in the semifinals. Padua-Cruz took a bye in the consolation semis before winning her first match of the day, a 4-2 decision over Augsburg's Pacheco in the third place match.
Daisy Scholz took fourth place at 136 pounds. Sholz received a bye in the first round, and then fell 9-2 against North Central's Abigail Denney in the consolation semis. Scholz beat Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Megan Struble on an 11-0 technical fall for fourth.
Kassandra Ayard took fourth place at 191 pounds. After her first round bye, she was pinned in 2:59 by Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Tabitha Breitrick to drop to the consolation bracket. In the consolation bracket, Ayard received a bye in the consolation semifinals, lost the third place match on a 10-0 technical fall, and pinned North Central's Alondra Aguayo in 1:35 to secure fourth place.
The Tigers were fourth in the team race with 65.5 points.
The NCWWC Nationals are scheduled for Saturday, March 6. The Tiger women will wrap up the regular season on Friday night when they host Indian Hills Community College-Centerville in a nonconference dual.