Warriors finish regular season in Bearcat Open

By Matt Oliver

LEBANON, Ill. – The Waldorf College women’s wrestling team finished the regular season, turning in hard-fought individual efforts in Saturday’s Bearcat Open.
It marked the final test for the Warriors before next month’s Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA) National Championships.
“It was the last one before nationals and it was a tough one,” Waldorf coach Tyreece Gilder said. “We didn’t execute like we know how and we paid for it as a whole.”
Rachael Coleck (130 pounds) posted a 2-2 tournament record to lead the Warriors. The redshirt freshman from Spokane, Wash. controlled her opening-round match as she won by fall over Lindenwood University’s Brittany Lopez. Missouri Baptist University’s Marki Simmons topped Coleck (18-17) behind a 7-0 decision. Coleck secured a 10-0 technical fall over sophomore teammate Bailey McLaughlin (5-25) and was pinned by McKendree University’s Diana Nevarez in a third-round consolation match.
Waldorf freshmen Hope Cordoviz (101) and Rose Heurtelou (109) each earned eighth-place finishes.
Cordoviz (6-19) couldn’t keep pace with McKendree’s Coellet Rangel, losing an 11-1 technical fall in the opening round. Southwestern Oregon Community College’s Malie Gonsalves scored a fall over Cordoviz, who was then held off by Lindenwood’s Cecilia Saavedra in a 9-1 decision during the seventh-place bout.
Heurtelou (10-16) was defeated in a 10-0 technical fall by McKendree’s Tayler Resuirz, who’s ranked No. 8 in the latest WCWA poll. McKendree’s Dominique Mendoza grinded out a win over Heurtelou, putting together a pin in 5 minutes, 50 seconds. Missouri Baptist’s Samantha Diaz pulled out a 7-3 decision against Heurtelou in the seventh-place match.
McLaughlin, freshmen Marinna Vela (123), Harmony Maitland (170) and junior Justice Losee (136) also battled for the Warriors. Waldorf freshmen Carli Lombardo (123), Valerie Gonzalez (123) and Abigail Flores (155) competed unattached.
Adrian College’s Deandra Benn claimed a 10-0 technical fall over McLaughlin in the first round. Following an opening-round consolation bye, McLaughlin faced off with Coleck.
Vela (0-4) went to work in her second collegiate tournament. Oklahoma City’s top-ranked Becka Leathers notched a one-minute fall over Vela, who received a first-round consolation bye. Vela was pinned by Oklahoma City’s Mirizza Birrueta in 1:28.
Lindenwood’s Jessica Rodriguez won by fall over Maitland (4-15) in the opening round. Maitland earned a first-round consolation bye and ended the day losing by fall to Menlo College’s Celycia Sandoval.
Losee (6-9) was challenged in the first round by McKendree’s ninth-ranked Jasmine Bailey, who advanced with a 10-0 technical fall. Following a first-round consolation bye, Losee lost a 20-8 technical fall to Missouri Baptist’s Sarah Bollinger.
Lombardo (0-4), Gonzalez (0-4) and Flores (1-4) were also making their second tournament appearances for Waldorf.
Coming off a first-round bye, Lombardo was pinned by Oklahoma City’s Cassidy Jasperson. Lombardo received a second-round consolation bye and was defeated by Missouri Valley College’s Anna Poyner in a 12-0 technical fall.
Gonzalez opened the tournament with a first-round bye and was brought down by Oklahoma City’s sixth-ranked Rachel Archer in a 10-0 technical fall. Adrian’s Justine Seeley recorded a 52-second fall over Gonzalez in the second round of the consolation bracket.
Flores faced two ranked opponents. The University of Jamestown’s eighth-ranked Anna Naylor moved on with a 10-0 technical fall over Flores, who was then fended off by Oklahoma City’s seventh-ranked Yvonne Galindo in a 13-4 decision during an opening-round consolation bout.
With the regular season now complete, the Warriors now hit it hard in practice the next three weeks to prepare for the WCWA National Championships on Feb. 12-13 at Oklahoma City.
“We have a few weeks before the big show to tighten up our positioning,” Gilder said. “We have to make it count.”