MARSHALL, Mo. – The #19 Campbellsville University women's wrestling team faced its toughest test of the season this weekend, competing in the massive Missouri Valley Open. In a bracket filled with the nation's best from the NAIA and NCAA, junior Gaby Perez led the way with an 8th-place finish, while sophomore Kylee Tait electrified the consolation rounds with a pinning spree.
- Junior #7 Gaby Perez battled her way to an 8th-place finish in the 145-pound bracket, securing the Lady Tigers' lone spot on the podium in a field loaded with ranked NAIA and NCAA Division I talent.
- After falling to the eventual champion in the first round, #8 Kylee Tait (160 lbs.) showed incredible resilience, rattling off five consecutive victories by fall in the consolation bracket.
- The Lady Tigers were aggressive on the mat, with ranked starters Addison Messerly (124), Olivia Messerly (131), Cameron Ortiz (131), and Tait combining for 12 bonus-point victories on the weekend.
- The tournament featured one of the toughest fields in collegiate women's wrestling, including #1 University of Providence, #2 Grand View, and the NCAA's University of Iowa.
- Campbellsville returns to action on December 5th for the Patriot Duals in Williamsburg, Ky.
Perez, ranked 7th nationally at 145 pounds, navigated a grueling path to the podium. After opening her tournament with a forfeit victory, she fell to Simon Fraser's Liv Weiber. Dropping to the consolation bracket, Perez found her rhythm, reeling off four consecutive wins. Her consolation run was highlighted by her ability to end matches early, including a fall, a technical fall, and an injury default victory. She ultimately finished 8th, dropping a tight 4-0 decision to Oklahoma State's Kaiulani Garcia in the placement match.
At 160 pounds, #8 Kylee Tait faced the toughest draw possible, matching up with the eventual champion, Savannah Gomez of McKendree, in the opening round. Despite the loss, Tait responded with dominant resilience. The sophomore stormed through the back side of the bracket, pinning five straight opponents (including three in the first period). Her run ended just shy of the placement matches with a tough 4-0 decision loss to Maria Sawiak of the University of Alberta.
The Lady Tigers' other ranked wrestlers also showed flashes of dominance, scoring big points for the team before exiting the tournament.
- At 124 pounds, #18 Addison Messerly went 3-2 on the day. She secured two victories by fall, including a 44-second pin in the consolation rounds.
- #10 Olivia Messerly picked up two bonus-point wins at 131 pounds, starting her tournament with a fall and a technical fall before being eliminated.
- #12 Cameron Ortiz also provided fireworks at 131 pounds, winning three matches by fall. Ortiz pinned her opening opponent in just 35 seconds and added two more falls in the consolation bracket.
The Lady Tigers will now take a short break for Thanksgiving before returning to Mid-South Conference action. They travel to Williamsburg, Kentucky, on Friday, December 5th, to compete in the Patriot Duals, hosted by the University of the Cumberlands.
