Four Women's Wrestlers Win Titles in Arizona

Women's Wrestling competed at the Embry-Riddle Open on Friday in Prescott, Arizona. The Tigers had seven wrestlers competing for championships in the nine weight classes they competed in. 

Four wrestlers posted new school records for fastest pin in a weight class in the tournament. Karina Vang recorded the fastest pin at 109, topping her mark set last year by recording a pin in 54 seconds on Friday. In the 130 division, Abbie Ahrens posted a pin of 24 seconds which was the quickest pin in school history for about a half hour. 

Hailey Romero broke the mark Ahrens had set by recording a pin in 15 seconds at 170. In the 136 division, Bridgette Sotomayor tied Romero's all-class record with a pin in 15 seconds a little later in the day. The previous record of 25 seconds for fastest pin was topped four times on the day, twice by Romero.

In the 101 division, Kimberly Navarette placed second with a 2-1 record. In the quarterfinals, she won 17-8 over Leilani Milla of Snow (UT). She then defeated Aphrodite Ayala of Simpson (CA) with a 6-3 decision. In the finals, she lost 9-6 to NJCAA #5 Jennifer Thomas of Snow.

Vang took second in the 109 division. She received a bye in the quarterfinals. Her semifinal match was against NCWA #1 Liliana Voakes of Ottawa (AZ). Vang recorded a pin in 54 seconds, as previously mentioned, which topped her record of 1:46 set last year. In the finals, she jumped out to an early lead over Rachel Jones of Snow but was caught in a takedown and pinned in the championship.

Taylor Weber placed fifth at 109. After dropping her opening match to Jones of Snow, 10-0, she bounced back with a 12-2 tech fall win over Angel Griego of Stampede WC (AZ). In the consolation semis, Voakes of Ottawa won 12-1. The fifth place match against NJCAA #7 Melbourne Earl of Snow was won by Weber via pin in 2:46.

The first championship of the day was won by Cristelle Rodriguez at 123. She opened with a 12-0 tech fall win over NCWA #6 Brianna Bouts of Ottawa. Her quarterfinal match was a 10-0 tech fall win over Valentina Martinez of Snow. Rodriguez dispatched Alyssa Lujan of Ottawa by a 10-0 tech fall in the semifinals. Her championship match came against NJCAA #4 Valery Ethington of Snow and was a similar result, a 10-0 tech fall win. Rodriguez outscored her opponents 42-0 with her matches lasting a combined two minutes, 23 seconds. Her longest match was the championship bout which went 48 seconds, while her quickest was in the semifinals covering 25 seconds.

Ahrens took third place in the 130 division. She opened with her 24 second pin, defeating Emma Jampolsky of Stampede WC. In the semifinals, Martynque Davis of Valiant (AZ) was able to earn a pin in 1:05. Ahrens came back with a win over Arianna Dominquez of Arizona State by injury in 24 seconds. In the third place match, Ahrens defeated Sarah Trunnel of Snow by tech fall, 10-0.

In the 136 bracket, Sotomayor was the champion with a 3-0 day. She opened with a 10-0 tech fall win over Hallie Carter of Snow. In the semifinals, she topped Arizona State's Valeria Engfui Pantoja by pin in 15 seconds. The championship match was against NJCAA #4 Isabelle Clements of Snow. Sotomayor picked up her second pin of the day, finishing the match in 1:22.

Aevri Ciha competed at 143 and received sixth place. She opened with a pin of Jessica Mendez in 2:56. In the semifinals against NJCAA #2 Corrie Williams of Snow, Ciha was leading late until an injury on a takedown stopped the match. Ciha would medically forfeit the final two matches for sixth.

In the 155 division, Aspen Barber dropped her opening match to Trinity Bouchal of Arizona State, 10-0. She came back with three consecutive wins to take third place. Barber won 10-0 over Olivia Brokaw of Stampede WC and 10-0 over Hailey-Jade Omoso of Simpson. In the final match, she defeated Morgan Lucio of Valiant, 10-4.

Hailey Romero won the 170 round-robin division. Four wrestlers competed, each wrestling the other. Romero started the day with a 15-second pin of NJCAA #8 Rachel Johnson of Snow. She then defeated teammate Makiaya De La Cruz by pin in 20 seconds. In the battle for first, Romero defeated another teammate, NAIA No. 17 Kalli Sutton, by pin in 4:20. 

Sutton recorded wins over Johnson by a 7-2 decision and De La Cruz, 10-0. De La Cruz dropped her match with Johnson by pin in 1:14.

The 191 division was a three person round-robin. Lamia Benn went 2-0 to claim the division title. She opened with an injury default win at 4:16 over Tori Poulsen of Snow. In the final match, she pinned Audrey Gribble of Snow in 4:03.

The Tigers will return to action on Friday, November 17 when they compete in the two-day Missouri Valley Open in Marshall, Missouri.