WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — After garnering the top spot in the WCWA rankings earlier this week, Campbellsville women's wrestling opened its 2015-16 season at the Patriot Duals hosted by the University of the Cumberlands.
Coach Lee Miracle strategically allowed both his varsity and JV teams to wrestle and get their feet wet after being out of competition for a few months. The varsity Lady Tigers dominated two of its duals against McKendree (Ill.) and Life (Ga.) but fell to Lindenwood (Mo.). Also, the reserves came away with a win in three duals.
In the first dual of the day, Campbellsville allowed only one point to Life's B team, knocking off the Running Eagles, 47-1. CU had four pins coming from Ruby Ariosa, Kait Fitzpatrick, Kaitlyn Hill and Jesse Grubbs. CU also had tech falls by Alexis Escamilla (12-1), Koral Sugiyama (10-0) and Rosemary Flores (10-0). Shelby Hall, Hannah Gladden and Hanna Hall won by forfeits.
The varsity girls then registered another lopsided victory over McKendree's B team, 44-1. The Lady Tigers had pins by Escamilla, Fitzpatrick and Hanna Hall. CU also had four tech falls in its second match. Shelby Hall (10-0), Sugiyama (10-0), Flores (10-0), and Gladden (10-0) all won with ease.
In the varsity finale, No. 1 Campbellsville fell to No. 4 Lindenwood, 27-21. The freshmen trio of Ariosa, Sugiyama and Escamilla all finished with wins to go 3-0 on the day. Also, sophomore All-American Rosemary Flores finished with three victories.
"It was a great day overall," said coach Lee Miracle. "We are wrestling at about 75 percent right now and are missing two of our national champions. But the three freshman of Ariosa, Sugiyama, and Escamilla were dominant and also returning All-American Rosemary Flores looked very good in the first trounament. They led the team. We also have Jesse Grubs wrestling up at heavyweight (191 lbs.) to pick up some slack."
The varsity team is in the championship bracket and will square off with rival and third-ranked team in the WCWA, Oklahoma City University.
The Campbellsville B defeated Lindenwood University's B team, 30-13 for its lone win.
CU picked up three wins by default at 109-, 116- and 123-lb. weight classes because Lindenwood did not have a wrestler weigh in at that weight. That was all the Lady Tigers needed to win the dual, picking up 15 points total for those forfeits.
Stephanie Hampton, Kasey Kruczek and Courtney Gray were able to make quick work of their opponents by all recording pins in under 41 seconds.
Lindenwood had three wins in the upper weight classes. Kara Cazeau was pinned in 1:56 at 155 lbs. and Raquel Valderrama lost 5-0 at 191. The Lady Tigers forfeited the 170 lb. weight class.
The wrestling reserves then faced No. 5 McKendree University's A team. McKendree swept Campbellsville, 46-0, after picking up three forfeits and four pins.
CU then had host University of the Cumberlands and the upper weights shined in this dual. Kruczek started the scoring for CU, winning 6-4. Gray followed with another win in under one minute and Cazeau pinned her opponent in 15 seconds.
But after forfeits at 101 and 170, the Lady Tigers were unable to make up the loss of those 10 points. Cumberlands recorded three pins over Campbellsville in the final dual.
"Everyone got to wrestle today and get their feet wet," said Miracle. "The JV girls aren't scrubs. They are getting better every day and will eventually be some of the top wrestlers in our program. The early tournament's are for everyone to get some mat time."
The JV team will dual with Ferrum University in its first consolation bracket match on Saturday morning.
