Rodriguez Wins U23 U.S. Championship

SPOKANE, Wash. - Doane University women's wrestler Cristelle Rodriguez won the U23 U.S. Women's Wrestling National Championship on Sunday, going 6-0 in the tournament.

Competing at 53 kilograms, Rodriguez started action on Saturday with a 10-0 win over Ivy Brandenburg in 21 seconds. In her second match, she defeated Ruby Jo Henson in 1:27, 12-1. The quarterfinals pitted Rodriguez against Christina Estrada. Arguably one of the tougher matches for the Doane wrestler, Rodriguez battled to a 16-6 victory in 4:46. On Sunday in the semifinals, Rodriguez defeated Clare Booe by another tech fall, 10-0 in 4:51.

In the best two of three finals, Sydney Petzinger stood in the way of another championship for Rodriguez. The first match went to Rodriguez, 12-2 in 4:14. In the second match, Petzinger picked up a takedown in the second period to cut into the Rodriguez lead, 8-4, only to have the Tiger veteran rattle off six straight points for a 14-4 win in 5:02.

All six matches were decided by tech fall with Rodriguez out-scoring her opponents, 74-13.

Additionally, Karina Vang and Bridgette Sotomayor competed in the championship. Vang won her opening match, 7-5, over Katelyn Bell before dropping her next two matches. Sotomayor won her first match over Makena Schramm by tech fall, 10-0, but dropped her next two matches by decision.