CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The No. 7 Colorado Mesa women's wrestling team finished the first day of the NWCA National Duals with a 2-1 record and earned a spot among the top-8 finishers in the tournament on Friday (Jan. 9) evening at the UNI Dome.
 
#7 Colorado Mesa 37, West Liberty 8 (First Round)
The Mavericks won eight of the 10 bouts on their way to the opening round win over the West Liberty Hilltoppers 37-8. Colorado Mesa secured five wins via technical fall and the final three wins all came by pin.
 
Celina Preston (160), Maggie Smith (180), and Jayleen Sekona (207) competed in the final three weights and all came away with a pin.
 
Bout-by-Bout Results
103: Kinlee Brandley (CMU) tech fall Sydney Chambers, 10-0 (0:33)
110: Adriana Gomez (CMU) tech fall Jeulenea Khang, 11-0 (1:04)
117: #10 Sophia Cornish (CMU) tech fall Trinity Howard, 15-4 (4:40)
124: #7 Lorianna Piestewa (CMU) tech fall Sienna Van Balen, 10-0 (0:26)
131: Cassia Zammit (WLU) tech fall Hania Halverson, 14-3 (3:18)
138: Skyelar Smith (WLU) dec. Delarie Juarez, 4-3
145: #10 Gretchen Donally (CMU) tech fall Grace O'Korn, 10-0 (3:24)
160: Celina Preston (CMU) pins Makyah Newlun, 5:46
180: Maggie Smith (CMU) pins Janiya Brogan, 1:07
207: #5 Jayleen Sekona (CMU) pins Jamie Sharpton, 2:39
 
#2 McKendree 37, Colorado Mesa 6 (Quarterfinal)
Colorado Mesa's Lorianna Piestewa secured a 10-4 victory over No. 1 ranked Shelby Moore but that was not enough as the McKendree Bearcats secured their spot in the semifinals with a 37-6 win over the Mavericks.
 
Piestewa, ranked No. 7 in the NWCA National Poll at 124 pounds, led 5-0 after one period of action and was able to score five more points in the second while only surrendering four points in the bout.
 
The Mavericks gained single points at 110 pounds from Adriana Gomez and at 145 pounds from Gretchen Donally for scoring points in their respective bouts.
 
Bout-by-Bout Results
103: #2 Heather Crull (MCK) pins Kinlee Brandley, 0:25
110: #1 Gabrielle Tedesco (MCK) dec. Adriana Gomez, 9-1
117: #1 Yu Sakamoto (MCK) tech falls Sophia Cornish, 10-0 (2:09)
124: #7 Lorianna Piestewa (CMU) dec. #1 Shelby Moore, 10-4
131: #3 Alex Szkotnicki (MCK) tech falls Hania Halverson, 10-0 (1:38)
138: Perseaus Gomez (MCK) tech falls Delarie Juarez, 14-3 (3:09)
145: #6 Eduarda Batista (MCK) dec. #10 Gretchen Donally, 4-3
160: #2 Savannah Gomez (MCK) dec. Celina Preston, 8-0
180: #2 Destiny Rodriguez (MCK) pins Maggie Smith, 1:02
207: Tristan Kelly (MCK) pins #5 Jayleen Sekona, 4:40
 
#7 Colorado Mesa 35, #20 William Jewell 12
The Mavericks secured their spot in the top-8 after a 35-12 come from behind victory over region opponent William Jewell to close out the first day of the NWCA National Duals. Colorado Mesa dropped the first three bouts of the dual but then rebounded for seven straight wins securing the win.
 
After a quick pin by Thalia Vogelsang at 131 pounds, freshman Delarie Juarez stepped on the mat at 138 pounds and found herself trailing 8-0 to Cardinal Zainab Ibrahim with 1:49 to wrestle in the first period. Juarez was able to work Ibrahim over to her back and earned the come-from-behind pin at 1:46 that helped spark the Maverick rally.
 
Three of the next four bouts were won by pin by Colorado Mesa and the other was a technical fall by Gretchen Donally at 145 pounds.
 
Bout-by-Bout Results
103: Juliana Alejandro (WJU) tech falls Kinlee Brandley, 10-0 (0:32)
110: Emily Mendez (WJU) dec. Adriana Gomez, 5-3
117: #6 Alex Waitsman (WJU) tech falls Jojo McDaniel, 13-2 (4:16)
124: #7 Lorianna Piestewa (CMU) tech falls Jada Hernandez, 13-2 (3:00)
131: Thalia Vogelsang (CMU) pins Shelby Kemp, 0:25
138: Delarie Juarez (CMU) pins Zainab Ibrahim, 1:46
145: #10 Gretchen Donally (CMU) tech falls Mckinzie Ross, 10-0 (2:55)
160: Celina Preston (CMU) pins Paige Barber, 4:58
180: Kim Carlin (CMU) pins Jianna Chavez, 1:49
207: #5 Jayleen Sekona (CMU) pins Desiree Hall, 0:54
 
The Mavericks will be back in action tomorrow morning at 9:30am mountain as they take on the Presbyterian College Blue Hose for a spot in the fifth-place match.