Women's Wrestling Opens Season at Falcon Open

PARK CITY, Kan. — The Doane University women's wrestling team turned in a strong collective showing at the Falcon Open, earning multiple podium finishes and several statement victories across both varsity and freshman/sophomore divisions.

Leading the way for the Tigers was Jessica Rodriguez, who captured the championship at 207 pounds in the freshman/sophomore division. Rodriguez went 2-0 on the day, earning a 7-0 decision in the semifinals and dominating the title bout with a 10-0 tech fall over Emma Hahn of Colby Community College to secure the top spot.

In the varsity division, Angelica Vicente Gonzalez made a strong statement at 117 pounds, battling back after an early setback to place third overall. Gonzalez won her final two matches impressively—recording a fall in 5:38 and a 12-1 tech fall over Ottawa's Addison Saporito in the third-place match—to finish 2-1.

Also highlighting the effort was Ashlee Palimo, who placed fourth at 131 pounds after a 3-2 day that included two pinfall victories and a forfeit win. Bridgette Sotomayor added another fourth-place effort at 145 pounds, earning two decision wins over Ottawa opponents en route to a 2-2 record.

Elsewhere, Payton Weese (138) and Aspen Barber (160) each recorded back-to-back wins to start their brackets, both earning two first-period falls before being stopped short of medal contention. Yazmin Belk (180) and Karina Vang (103) each picked up wins by fall and decision, respectively, to round out the varsity scoring efforts.

In the freshman/sophomore competition, Doane showed depth with multiple wrestlers notching multi-win performances. Bettie Chambers (124) went 3-2 with three bonus-point wins, while Kayla McLearen (180) posted a trio of falls in her five matches. Isabela Gutierrez (110) and Sienna Long (131) each claimed two victories, combining for four falls and tech falls on the day.

Overall, the meet featured numerous ranked opponents from across the NAIA and junior college ranks, giving the young Tiger squad valuable early-season experience. With multiple wrestlers earning top-four finishes and several more advancing deep into their consolation brackets, the event served as a promising sign of growth and depth across the Doane lineup.

The Tigers return to action next week at the Waldorf Open as they continue tournament competition in preparation for the heart of the 2025-26 season.

(generated by ChatGPT)