The Hope International women's wrestling team enjoyed some success on Sunday, as Jeszika Spraglin won her weight class, while Mary Jane O'Neil and Mattrina Ifopo-Aisea placed sixth at the Menlo Invitational.
WOMEN'S WRESTLING (MENLO INVITATIONAL)
110 – Alyssa PradoÂ
Prado finished 1-2, earning a 6-2 win by decision in the consolation bracket over unattached wrestler Taryn Evans. Prado lost by tech fall, 10-0, to Kayla McKinley-Johnson of Menlo in the opening bout, and got pinned by Westcliff's Tianna Fernandez later in consolation bracket competition.
117 – Mary Jane O'Neil (6th Place) & Mackenzie Matthews
Mary Jane O'Neil advanced to the semifinals of her bracket with two victories. She defeated Caroline Farris of Southern Oregon by a 6-3 decision in the opening round and pinned Westcliff's Vanessa Alvarado at the 1:41 mark after trailing 5-2 early in the bout. She lost in the semis to Menlo senior Hayden Fry, falling by pin at the 5:39 mark. In the consolation semifinals, O'Neil lost by pin at 2:56 to Simon Fraser's Gina Bolognese.Â
Matthews dropped an 8-3 decision to Menlo's Leilah Patel in the opening round, and lost 9-3 to Westcliff's Vanessa Alvarado in the consolation bracket.
124 – Kayla PabloÂ
Pablo captured an exciting 9-8 decision win over Modesto College's Jesmeralda Lara in the first contest, scoring two points with 38 seconds remaining in the final period to overcome a one-point deficit. She lost by tech fall, 10-0, to Southern Oregon freshman Skyler Hall in the quarterfinals, before suffering a 9-5 defeat by decision to Modesto College's Sammie Vasquez in the consolation bracket.
145 – Mattrina Ifopo-Aisea (6th Place), Kate Van Coutren & Annabelle Reed
Ipofo-Aisea went 3-2 in her class, opening with a win by pin over Menlo Club wrestler Jayleen Garrett. She lost by tech fall, 10-0, to Menlo varsity wrestler Claudia Heeney in the next match and headed into the consolation bracket. She downed Fresno State's Lilian Busnardo, 10-0 by tech fall at 2:09, to set up a battle against HIU teammate Van Coutren. Ifopo-Aisea rebounded from a 6-0 deficit, reeling off eight straight points and won by a narrow 8-7 decision. Ifopo-Aisea's run ended against Simon Fraser's Amelia Lucas, dropping the match 10-0 by tech fall.
Van Coutren started out competition with a 10-3 victory over Busnardo before succumbing by pin at 0:36 to Southwestern Oregon CC"s Chantell Noffsinger. She dominated San Jose State's Kristy Zhu in the consolation bracket, winning 12-2 by tech fall, before taking on Ipofo-Aisea of HIU.
Reed made quick work of Umpqua Community College's Elsa King in her initial bout, pinning the freshman at 0:25 of the first period. She lost in her next bout against Cuesta College's Piper Lalli, 10-0 by tech fall. In the consolation bracket, her run ended against Menlo junior Maci Stemmons, as she dropped a 10-0 tech fall decision.
180 – Jovel Blaine
Blaine lost to a pair of Vanguard sophomore wrestlers, getting pinned at 0:38 by Charlie Falomir in the opening bout and dropping a 10-0 tech fall decision to Abbie Hock.
207 – Jeszika Spraglin (1st Place)
Spraglin was champion of her weight class as she pinned Menlo Club wrestler Layla Lorenzo at 3:49 in the opening bout, before following up with another win by fall, this time at 5:10 of period two against Southwestern Oregon CC's Sonia Mendoza Sandoval. Trailing 4-2 in the championship match against unattached wrestler Jax Seed, Spraglin maneuvered her way to a win by fall at the 1:26 mark to take home the title.
The Royals return to action next Friday as they face Arizona Christian and the Arizona State Club Team in Glendale at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
