FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. – The Emory & Henry University Women's Wrestling Team finished fifth as a team at the NCWWC Region III Championships on Saturday with five of their 10 competing wrestlers finishing sixth or better.
Sophomore Molly Keller (Fairlawn, Va.) led the way, placing fourth at 145 pounds to earn a spot in the NCWWC National Championship next month.
The Basics
EVENT – NCWWC Region III Championships
HOST – Emmanuel (Ga.) University
LOCATION – Franklin Springs, Georgia
VENUE – Shaw Athletic Center
117-Pound Weight Class
Sophomore Natalia Sanchez (Powhatan, Va.) fell in her quarterfinal bout to Charlize Shuler from Presbyterian in 1:52. In the consolation bracket, she beat Allen (S.C.)'s Stacy Pule with a 14-second pin. Sanchez lost by technical superiority to Emmanuel's Karissa Turnwall (10-0; 0:39) but bounced back to pin Mallory McDonald from Mount Olive in 57 seconds to finish fifth.
124-Pound Weight Class
Sophomore Madison Wilson (Henrico, Va.) lost her quarterfinal bout in 30 seconds to Alyssa Mahan from Presbyterian. She exited the tournament after losing by fall to Makenna Dolt from Southern Virginia (0:33).
138-Pound Weight Class
Freshman Alex Costello (Johnson City, Tenn.) lost a 6-0 decision to Huntingdon's Caden Collett and fell in the consolation bracket to Angelica Steffey of Mount Olive (2:32).
Sophomore Mak Robinson (Spotsylvania, Va.) lost by technical superiority (10-0; 0:59) to Gianna Debenedetto from Emmanuel and concluded her day after losing to SVU's Gracie Blake in 54 seconds.
145-Pound Weight Class
Sophomore Molly Keller (Fairlawn, Va.) defeated teammate Natalie Giocondo in 17 seconds to start the day and beat Emmanuel's Sofia Vergara by an 11-9 decision. In the semifinals, she lost by fall to Aine Drury from King (Tenn.) in 50 seconds but bounced back in the consolation semifinals to beat JahMya Hill by technical superiority, 12-2 (0:58). Keller fell to Emmanuel's Jocelyn Yepez in 5:22 to take fourth place.
Sophomore Natalie Giocondo (Dumfries, Va.) lost her opening bout to Keller in 17 seconds and exited the tournament after losing to Alexis Spade from Randolph in 33 seconds.
160-Pound Weight Class
Senior Skie Rice (Chesterfield, Va.) won her opening round bout by fall over Jenna Moening and beat Hannah Catungal from Bluefield State in 1:01. In the semifinals, she faced May Cuyler from Presbyterian, losing by fall in 1:16. She dropped her consolation semifinal bout to Arieana Bacon from Huntingdon (1:28) and took sixth with a loss to PC's Isabella Gretzinger (0:45).
Freshman Rihana Carson (Roanoke, Va.) won by technical superiority, 11-0 (2:52) over Rakiyah Young from Allen to start the day before dropping to the consolation bracket with a loss to Kendra Heroch from Emmanuel (0:21). She defeated Mount Olive's Jocelyn Mattingly by an 11-9 decision before losing to Bacon from Huntingdon in 29 seconds.
180-Pound Weight Class
Junior Ella Tallent (Dandridge, Tenn.) got the day started with a loss to Emmanuel's Alyssa Arana in 22 seconds. She won her first consolation bracket bout over Kiley McClain from Bluefield State by fall in 2:11 but lost to Kascidy Garren from Presbyterian in 3:43. Tallent took sixth by medical forfeit in her final bout.
207-Pound Weight Class
Senior Emma Lozada (Princeton, Texas) lost her quarterfinal bout to Presbyterian's Maria Aiono in 43 seconds. She beat Janya Rolland from Allen by fall in 59 seconds before losing to Destiny Vaughans of Greensboro in 2:53. In the fifth-place bout, Lozada fell to Andrea Smith from Mount Olive by a 12-2 technical superiority in 4:15.
Up Next
Keller will compete at the NCWWC National Championships in Coralville, Iowa on Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8.
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