Sacred Heart closed out the dual meet portion of the season with a big win over Western New England on Friday night. (Josh Gee photo courtesy Sacred Heart athletics)
SPRINGFIELD, Feb. 9, 2024 – The No. 7 Sacred Heart women’s wrestling team had two pins and three technical falls to close out the dual meet season with a dominating 39-7 win over Western New England University Friday night in Springfield.
The Pioneers finished the regular season at 17-3 – their best record in their three-year history, slightly eclipsing last year’s record of 17-4.
Nohea Moniz (116) and Madison Sandquist (155) each had pins for Sacred Heart with Ahsia Torres (109), Alexandra Fitzgerald (123), Aliza Leander (136) and Cara Broadus (170) picking up technical falls for the Pioneers.
Sandquist and Fitzgerald each picked up their team-leading 19th victories on Friday night. Sandquist is 19-2 with Fitzgerald sitting at 19-5. Broadus, the senior from Plymouth, improved to 14-3 while Torres improved to 18-7 with her victory.
In the latest NCAA women’s rankings from the National Wrestling Coaching Association issued on Thursday, the Pioneers remain No. 7 in the country in the tournament rankings and No. 5 in the dual meet rankings.
Five Sacred Heart women are ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes, including two at 170 pounds. Freshman Love Daley (16-3) is No. 6 with Broadus right behind at No. 7.
Fitzgerald is ranked No. 6 at 123 with Sandquist ranked No. 8 at 155. Aaliyah Payne-Parris is ranked No. 10 at 101 pounds with a 14-7 record.
Sacred Heart returns to the mat on Feb. 23-24 for the Region 1 championship meet in the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship tournament at Lock Haven University. Sacred Heart is the defending Region 1 champion and the top four wrestlers from each weight class will advance to the national championship tournament in Iowa.
(7) Sacred Heart 39, Western New England 7
At Springfield
101: Aaliyah Payne-Parris (SH) forfeit
109: Ahsia Torres (SH) tech fall Gianna Hernandez, 10-0
116: Nohea Moniz (SH) pin Ariel Casella
123: Alexandra Fitzgerald (SH) tech fall Janieliz Cotto, 10-0
130: Linda Holeman (WNE) forfeit
136: Aliza Leander (SH) tech fall Sabrina Sedor, 12-2
143: Temi Sanusi (SH) dec. Dakota-Marie Dinielli, 6-5
155: Madison Sandquist (SH) pin Kendall Branchaud
170: Cara Broadus (SH) tech fall Mikayla Maloy, 10-0
191: Madeline Hodges (SH) forfeit
Records: Sacred Heart 17-3; Western New England 8-7
