LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The #4 Lady Tigers joined 95 teams across six college wrestling divisions as the USMC/NWCA National Dual Meet Championships began Friday. Campbellsville battled injuries to finish seventh.
Campbellsville first took the mat against #12 Missouri Baptist. #19
Kelsey Bilz, #2
Leilah Castro, #4
Angie Vitiritti, #3
Emma Walker (who took down #10 Josette Partney), and #5
Liliana Vergara all ensured the Lady Tigers' opening round win, 29-17.
#5 Menlo awaited Campbellsville in the second round and the Oaks dominated the dual. Dealing with key injuries to top performers, the Lady Tigers gave it their all, but it simply wasn't enough. Only Castro took a win with her technical fall.
After going 1-1 on day one, Campbellsville sought to rally and remain in the main bracket on day two first taking on #18 Baker. There, they took the pivotal dual 34-15 behind the efforts of
Gabrielle Medeiros (pinning #20 Kylie Hernandez in 40 seconds), Bilz,
Jacqueline Ghent, Vitiritti (with a 12-2 technical fall against #17 Abbie Jones), Walker, and Vergara. Medeiros, Bilz (1:22), Ghent (1:04), Walker (:48), and Vergara (:16) all had convincing pinfall wins.
Next in their way was #9 Texas Wesleyan. In the dual, the Lady Tigers fell in the first six bouts until Walker posted a pin. Vergara was the only other Lady Tiger victorious with a 1:02 pinfall pver #15 Aalyah Villarreal. #7 Indiana Tech awaited the Campbellsville in the battle for seventh. There, the Lady Tigers sought revenge after a loss against the Warriors late last year. They were triumphant as Ghent (with a pin over #16 Aubree Kuhns), Vitiritti (with a 10-0 technical fall against #14 Charmayne Delong), Walker (with a win facing #8 Samantha Snow),
Kendra Thompson (victorious with a 9-2 decision over #18 Grace Doering),
Sierra Chavez, and Vergara (defeating #15 Riley Dempewolf with a 22 second pinfall) secured the squad's seventh place finish.
The Lady Tigers will next be in Austin, Texas on Friday January 13
th.
