More than 8,200 fans were at Carver-Hawkeye Arena Sunday for a four-team match that included four top 25 teams, including Sacred Heart. (Photo courtesy Iowa Women’s Wrestling via X)
It was a special day for collegiate women’s wrestling in Iowa on Sunday. Four NCAA Division I top 25 teams were on the mat for the Trailblazer Duals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena with 8,207 fans in the stands, a record for a women’s collegiate wrestling match, according to Iowa officials.
No. 8 Iowa, a first-year varsity program, showed that they are contenders today for a national championship. The Hawkeyes won 29 of 30 matches in three dual meets to earn dominating victories against No. 5 Sacred Heart, No. 11 Lindenwood University (St. Charles, Miss.) and No. 13 Presbyterian College (Clinton, South Carolina).
Iowa beat Presbyterian College, 44-1, blanked Lindenwood, 43-0 and beat Sacred Heart, 40-4. The Pioneers dropped a 22-20 decision to Lindenwood but beat Presbyterian, 26-18. Presbyterian also beat Lindenwood, 25-20.
Iowa (4-0) had 26 victories by pin or technical fall in the three matches, thrilling the crowd of more than 8,000 fans in the first-ever dual meet for the Hawkeye women’s team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
“Our women know how to bring a lot of energy. They know how to have fun, keep it light, but they also know how to flip that switch and get to business,” Iowa coach Clarissa Chun said. “That’s what is so special about our team, how they have found a way to do that, because it allows them to just be them. They focus on what is in front of them, and try not to worry too much about what the outcome is.
“Because at the end of the day, we’re just here to enjoy the moment and the process along the way, and just soak it all in,” she said.
While Iowa rolled over Presbyterian in the first match, Sacred Heart was facing Lindewood on the adjoining mat. Lindenwood won five of the first six matches to take a 17-7 lead. Sacred Heart’s Khadijah Sanusi lost in a tiebreaker at 143 to Alana Duggan as Lindenwood extended their lead to 20-8 with three matches remaining.
In women’s collegiate freestyle wrestling, teams can earn a point if the losing wrestler scores during the match. Pins are worth five points and tech falls (wins by 10 or more points) are worth four.
Sacred Heart’s Madison Sandquist (155) won by a tech fall, Love Daley (170) got a pin in 44 seconds and Madeline Hodge (191) earned an 8-0 decision but the Pioneers ended up two points shy in a 22-20 loss.
Against Presbyterian College, Sacred Heart won five of 10 matches and had three pins in a 26-18 victory. Aaliyah Payne-Parris (101), Ahsia Torres (109) and Sandquist (155) won by pin with Cara Broadus (170) and Hodges (191) winning by tech fall.
Iowa dominated Sacred Heart, 40-4, with nine wins, including three pins and five victories by technical fall. Hodges (191) earned the only win of the day over an Iowa wrestler with a 7-0 decision over Alivia White. Daley picked up a point at 170 for Sacred Heart in a 12-1 loss.
Sacred Heart (1-2) returns to action this weekend at the Missouri Valley College Open in Marshall, Missouri.
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Scoring is different in women’s freestyle wrestling. Teams earn five points for a pin, four points for a tech fall – leading by 10 or more points – and three points for a decision (winning by nine points or less). Teams can earn a point if a wrestler scores points in a match but still loses the match.
Freestyle matches are two 3-minute periods. Takedowns, depending one execution, can be worth two, four or five points. Exposure points are two points each with reversals and stepping out of bounds worth one point each.
The social media account for Iowa women’s wrestling also had a helpful video on the rules of women’s freestyle wrestling.
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All four teams are ranked in the top 25 of the preseason National Wrestling Coaches Association’s poll.
Trailblazer Duals
At Iowa
(8) Iowa 44, (13) Presbyterian College 1
(8) Iowa 43, (11) Lindenwood 0
(8) Iowa 40, (5) Sacred Heart 4
(5) Sacred Heart 26, (13) Presbyterian College 18
(11) Lindenwood 22, (5) Sacred Heart 20
(13) Presbyterian College 25, (11) Lindenwood 20
Lindenwood 22, Sacred Heart 20
At Iowa City, Iowa
101: Megan Valdez (L) pin Aaliyah Payne-Parris, 2:35
109: Kate Cooper (L) dec. Samantha Yap, 8-0
116: Ahsia Torres (SH) tech fall Sienna Caruso, 10-0
123: Amanda McAleavey (L) dec. Nohea Moniz, 8-5
130: Cayden Condit (L) tech fall Bayley Trang, 12-1
136: Marissa Sanabria (L) tech fall Aliza Leander, 12-2
143: Alana Duggan (L) dec. Khadijah Sanusi, 3-3
155: Madison Sandquist (SH) tech fall Rebecca Strong, 10-0
170: Love Daley (SH) pin Emma Thomas, 0:44
191: Madeline Hodges (H) dec. Kennedy Eggering, 8-0
NOTE: Sacred Heart earned single team points at 130, 136, 143. Five points for a win, four points for a tech fall. One point for scoring in a loss
Records: Lindenwood 1-0, Sacred Heart 0-1
Sacred Heart 26, Presbyterian College 18
At Iowa City, Iowa
101: Aaliyah Payne-Parris (SH) pin Chiara Barbieri, 2:13
109: Ahsia Torres (SH) pin Grace York, 1:21
116: Charlize Shuler (P) dec. Nohea Moniz, 7-1
123: Reagan Riddick (P) forfeit
130: Alysaa Mahan (P) dec. Bayley Trang, 13-4
136: Cassia Zammit (P) dec. Aliza Leander, 12-4
143: Paige Wehrmeister (P) tech fall Khadijah Sansui, 10-0
155: Madison Sandquist (SH) pin Madeline Kubicki, 2:31
170: Cara Broadus (SH) tech fall Henlee Haynes, 10-0
191: Madeline Hodges (SH) tech fall Ella Beam, 10-0
NOTE: Presbyterian picked up singles points at 116, 130, 136. Five points for a win, four points for a tech fall. One point for scoring in a loss.
Records: Sacred Heart 1-1, Presbyterian College 0-2
(8) Iowa 40, (5) Sacred Heart 4
At Iowa City, Iowa
101: Sterling Dias (I) pin Aaliyah Payne-Parris, 0:22
109: Ava Bayless (I) tech fall Ahsia Torres, 10-0
116: Brianna Gonzalez (I) pin Nohea Moniz, 1:52
123: Felicity Taylor (I) forfeit
130: Lilly Luft (I) tech fall Bayley Trang, 10-0
136: Nanea Estrella (I) tech fall Aliza Leander, 10-0
143: Reese Larramendy (I) tech fall Khadijah Sanusi, 11-0
155: Marlynne Deede (I) pin Madison Sandquist, 1:32
170: Kylie Welker (I) tech fall Love Daley, 12-1
191: Madeline Hodges (SH) dec. Alivia White, 7-0
NOTE: Sacred Heart earned a single team point at 170. Five points for a win, four points for a tech fall. One point for scoring in a loss
Records: Iowa 4-0, Sacred Heart 1-2
(8) Iowa 44, (13) Presbyterian College 1
At Iowa City, Iowa
101: Emilie Gonzalez (I) pin Chiara Barbieri, 1:36
109: Ava Bayless (I) tech fall Grace York, 10-0
116: Brianna Gonzalez (I) tech fall Charlize Shuler, 10-0
123: Felicity Taylor (I) tech fall Alyssa Mahan, 10-0
130: Emily Frost (I) pin Cassia Zammit, 4:53
136: Nanea Estrella (I) tech fall Paige Wehrmeister, 12-2
143: Reese Larramendy (I) tech fall Madeline Kubicki, 11-0
155: Marlynne Deede (I) win by forfeit
170: Kylie Welker (I) tech fall Henlee Haynes, 10-0
191: Alivia White (I) pin Ella Beam, 3:24
Records: Iowa 2-0, Presbyterian 0-1
(8) Iowa 43, (11) Lindenwood University 0
At Iowa City
101: Emilie Gonzalez (I) tech fall Megan Valdez, 10-0
109: Ava Bayless (I) tech fall Kate Cooper, 10-0
116: Brianna Gonzalez (I) tech fall Sienna Caruso, 10-0
123: Felicity Taylor (I) pin Amanda McAleavey, 1:44
130: Emily Frost (I) pin Cayden Condit, 0:41
136: Nanea Estrella (I) tech fall Marissa Sanabria, 10-0
143: Ella Schmit (I) dec. Alana Duggan, 8-0
155: Marlynne Deede (I) pin Rebecca Strong, 1:16
170: Haley Ward (I) tech fall Emma Thomas, 10-0
191: Kylie Welker (I) pin Kennedy Eggering, 0:28
Records: Iowa 3-0
