LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Seven University of Iowa women’s wrestlers competed in the US Open Wrestling Championships this week in Las Vegas, Nevada. Four came out with a top eight finish.
At 50kg, Ava Bayless captured a seventh-place finish. Bayless started it off in the first round with a 10-0 technical fall in 0:32 over Emma Heslin. Carrying the wins into the second round, Bayless won against Aleeah Gould with a close 7-6 decision. After making it to the quarterfinals, Bayless lost via 10-0 technical fall against Audrey Jiminez. On the backside, Bayless made her way to the consolation quarterfinals with a 12-2 technical fall over Charlotte Fowler. In the consi-quarters, she fell to Kendra Ryan due to a close 9-7 decision. Bayless was placed in the battle for seventh place, and defeated Natalie Reyna-Rodriguez with a 11-0 technical fall. Nyla Valencia made it to the quarterfinals after a 10-0 technical fall against Emily Mendez, but then had an injury default against Sage Mortimer and medically forfeited out of the tournament.
Felicity Taylor took a top three finish at 53kg, outscoring her opponents 34-8. Taylor made it to the semifinals with a 11-0 technical fall over Avery Ashley before losing by a decision to Katie Gomez, 7-2. After that placed her in the consolation semifinals, Taylor earned a 10-0 technical fall over Melanie Mendoza. Taylor then finished her tournament run taking third place by an 11-1 technical fall against Sydney Petzinger, who she defeated previously in the quarterfinals via 8-0 decision.
Ella Schmit and Reese Larramendy both competed at 65kg. In her first match against Aine Drury, Larramendy had to default out due to injury. Larramendy medically forfeited the tournament and was unable to continue. Schmit advanced to the quarterfinals after pinning Anna Stephens in 0:33. In the quarters, Schmit faced second seeded Emily Bruntil and lost via technical fall, 11-0. In the consolations, Schmidt battled hard but lost to Destiny Lyng due to a 6-2 decision.
At 68kg, Bella Mir battled her way to a sixth-place finish. Mir earned a pin in 4:08 over Emily Se to advance to the quarterfinals. In the quarters she faced Katerina Lange and lost due to a tight 3-2 decision. Mir battled out of the blood rounds with a pin against Olivia Pizano, 2:48. She continued in the consolation quarterfinals wasting no time pinning Nina Makem in 0:16. Mir fell in the consolation semifinals to Solin Piearcy via 12-5 decision, landing her in the fifth-place bout. Mir was down 8-3 at the end of the first period, but came back in the second to tie it 10-10. Mir lost via criteria to Chloe Ogden, and took sixth-place.
At 76kg, Kylie Welker finished in fifth place. Welker advanced to the quarterfinals after a 10-0 technical fall against Alyssa Arana in 0:30. Welker brought it close in her quarterfinals match against Dymond Guilford, where she had an 8-2 but fell short being pinned in 2:32. With a 10-0 technical fall over Skylar Grote in the blood round, Welker then received a forfeit in the consolation quarterfinals. After losing via 11-6 decision against third-seeded Yelena Makoyed, Welker moved to wrestle for fifth place. Welker dominated in her placement match with a 10-0 technical fall in 0:29 over Tristan Kelly.
50kg – Ava Bayless (Greenville, Pennsylvania), 7th place
WIN Emma Heslin (KT Kidz), Tech. Fall 10-0
WIN Aleeah Gould (WCAP), Dec. 7-6
LOSS Audrey Jimenez (SKWC), Tech. Fall 10-0
WIN Charlotte Fowler (BRTC), Tech. Fall 12-2
LOSS Kendra Ryan (CWC), Dec. 9-7
WIN Natalie Reyna-Rodriguez, Tech. Fall 11-0
50kg – Nyla Valencia (Morgan Hill, California), Medical Forfeit
WIN Emily Mendez (BWC), Tech. Fall 10-0
LOSS Sage Mortimer (TMWC), Inj. Default
53kg – Felicity Taylor (Spillville, Iowa), 3rd place
WIN Avery Ashley (FWC), Tech. Fall 11-0
WIN Sydney Petzinger (CWC), Fall 1:15
LOSS Katie Gomez (SKWC), Dec. 7-2
WIN Melanie Mendoza (TTWC), Tech. Fall 10-0
WIN Sydney Petzinger (CWC), Tech. Fall 11-1
65kg – Reese Larramendy (Reno, Nevada), Medical Forfeit
LOSS Aine Drury (Cali), Inj. Default
65kg – Ella Schmit (Bettendorf, Iowa), DNP
WIN Anna Stephens (Miss), Fall 0:33
LOSS Emily Bruntil (TMWC), Tech. Fall 11-0
LOSS Destiny Lyng (Cali), Dec. 6-2
68kg – Bella Mir (Las Vegas, Nevada), 6th place
WIN Emily Se (SORTC), Fall 4:08
LOSS Katerina Lange (MG), Dec. 3-2
WIN Olivia Pizano (SORTC), Fall 2:48
WIN Nina Makem (MG), Fall 0:16
LOSS Solin Piearcy (MWC), Dec. 12-5
LOSS Chloe Ogden (NC), Dec. 10-10
76kg – Kylie Welker (Franksville, Wisconsin), 5th place
WIN Alyssa Arana (Cali), Tech. Fall 10-0
LOSS Dymond Guilford (TMWC), Fall 2:32
WIN Skylar Grote (TMWC), Tech. Fall 10-0
WIN Sydnee Kimber (BWC), Forfeit
LOSS Yelena Makoyed (TMWC), Dec. 11-6
WIN Tristan Kelly (WCAP), Tech. Fall 10-0