Women's Wrestling Claims Two Titles at Midland

Women's Wrestling competed at the Midland Warrior Open on Saturday in Fremont. The Tigers had two weight class champions.

Aspen Barber won the 160 bracket with a 4-0 day. She defeated Nevaeh Garcia (Grand View) by pin in 4:05 to start the day. She followed with a win over NJCAA No. 8 Ashlea Larson (Snow) by decision in the quarterfinals, 5-1. Barber then topped Emmalee Spurgeon (Grand View) in the semifinals, 8-3. The championship match saw NAIA No. 16 Corin Lowe (Oklahoma City) take a 5-2 lead after the first period. Barber was able to tie the match at 6-6 with 1:17 left in the second period, however, Lowe regained the lead with a single point awarded with 43 seconds left. Barber landed a takedown with eight seconds left to take the lead and secure the win.

Julia Breeden won the 117 bracket with a 3-0 record. After receiving a first round bye, she picked up a win by pin in 1:31 over Madison Kalamau (unattached). In the semifinals, she defeated Hailey Medina (Iowa Western CC) by pin in 5:02. Breeden won by tech fall in the finals for her first college championship, defeating Lanna Walter (Sioux Falls), 14-1.

In the 145 bracket, Bridgette Sotomayor took fourth place. She opened with a win over NJCAA No. 5 Nevaeh Leonard (Southeast CC) by a 4-3 decision. She followed with a victory over NJCAA No. 7 Sara Daley (Iowa Western CC) by pin in 2:22. Sotomayor then defeated NAIA No. 16 Emma Stice (Hastings) by pin in 4:46. She dropped her semifinal match but bounced back with a 3-1 decision in the consolation bracket over Joel Makem Ratzinger (CSB WC). She lost her third place match to NAIA No. 18 Makayla Munoz (Oklahoma City), 5-4.

Jaden Breeden took fifth place in the 110 bracket. Following a bye, she defeated NJCAA No. 1 Rachel Jones (Snow) by decision, 12-11, in the quarterfinals. She dropped her semifinal match and first consolation match. Jones then forfeited to Breeden in a potential rematch for fifth.

Ashlee Palimo'o placed fifth in the 131 bracket. After dropping her first match, Palimo'o picked up a forfeit win and a tech fall win. She then faced NAIA No. 18 Destiny Campbell (Oklahoma City), posting a 1-0 win. Kierra Nartatez (Midland) lost to Palimo'o 6-0 in the next match but NAIA No. 17 Bryce White won 8-2 in the consolation semifinals. In the fifth place match, Palimo'o defeated Mackenzie Armagost (Sioux Falls) by pin in 1:23.

In the 180 bracket, Hailey Romero placed fifth. She opened action with a pin of Caroline Purcell (Northwest Kansas Tech) in 1:14. Romero dropped her next match to NAIA No. 12 Marissa Patterson (Hastings) by pin but bounced back with a pin of Amanda Perez (Hastings) in 36 seconds. She then pinned Rose Latta (Kansas State) in 49 seconds. In the consolation semifinals, Romero lost to NAIA No. 14 Bailee Nelson (Friends) but picked up a forfeit win by Patterson in the fifth place match.

Additionally, Mora Peterson added two wins at 117. She defeated Ashden Welty (Dakota Wesleyan) by pin in 1:28 and NJCAA No. 4 Bella Butterfield (Snow) by tech fall, 12-2. Kiersten Flanagan won two matches at 124. She defeated Ali Anderson (Grand View) by tech fall, 10-0, and Elizabeth Rubio (Morningside) by decision, 12-3. Brianna Membrano added one win at 124, defeating Sumer Harrington (CSB WC) by tech fall, 10-0.

Brooke Cox had two wins at 131, defeating Eny Bravo (Midland) by tech fall, 10-0, and Tassie Hatch (Hastings) by pin in 4:55. Lamia Benn won two matches at 160. She defeated Ja'nya Banks (Midland) by tie-break decision, 4-4, and teammate Payton Weese by decision, 10-5. Weese won three matches in the bracket, starting with a pin in 21 seconds over Olivia Smith (Dakota Wesleyan). She defeated teammate Lauren Garcia by pin in 5:09 and Brooke Schilke (Hastings) in 2:11.

Yazmin Belk recorded two wins at 180. She started with a pin of Olivia Burciaga (Waldorf) in 2:11 and added a pin over teammate Aileen Rueda in 49 seconds. Rueda was credited with a forfeit win. Lilianna Martinez also had a forfeit win at 207 over NJCAA No. 8 Chloe Colvin (Snow).

Next up for the Tigers will be the Jimmy May Open in Baldwin City, Kansas, on February 15.