CORALVILLE, Iowa – The University of Iowa women’s wrestling team finished day one of the second-annual Soldier Salute with 10 student-athletes in the semifinals. The Hawkeyes finished the day in first place, accumulating 95 team points.

In Session one, the Hawkeyes went 23-6 in the pool rounds, with 10 student-athletes going undefeated. Sterling Dias started the day off at 101 pounds with an 11-0 technical fall over Whitley Blake of Indiana Tech. She ended her first session with another tech. fall over Life’s Devyn Gomez, 14-4. Ava Bayless came in at 109 with a 10-0 tech. fall over Alyssa Valdivia of William Jewell, followed by another 14-4 tech. fall over Life’s Diana Gonzalez. At 116, Brianna Gonzalez notched two tech. falls defeating Adriana Martinez of Life (11-0) and Riley Horvath of Indiana Tech (13-2). At 123, Bella Ngo earned a 10-0 tech. fall against Emarie Bolosan of William Jewell. Emily Frost followed with another tech. fall, 12-2, against Indiana Tech’s Ellyana Kuzman.

Lilly Luft went 2-0 at 136 to start the day, notching a win against Koryna Diaz of William Jewell, via a 9-0 decision and a 10-0 tech. fall win over William Penn’s Sandra Arellano. Also at 136, Anakya Besco defeated Tarnpreet Soroya of Umpqua, via fall in 5:20 and continued with a 10-0 tech. fall over William Penn’s Alexis Cervantes. Reese Larramendy came in at 143 with a fall over Tatum Levendahl of Dubuque in 1:35. She ended the session earning a 10-0 tech. fall over Texas Wesleyan’s Maryellen Lafferty. At 155, Bella Mir made her season debut with two pins. Mir opened with a fall in 1:35 over Jennifer De La Torre of Umpqua, and followed with another fall in 43 seconds against Indiana Tech’s Cydney Bassett. Haley Ward opened at 170 with a quick 14-second pin against Kiara Meek of Dubuque, and then earned a forfeit over Tiffin’s Tia Leahy.

In Session two, the Hawkeyes put 10 athletes into the semifinals. Dias secured her spot at 101 with a quick 52-second pin over Teya Gardner of William Penn. At 116, Gonzalez followed with a tech. fall over Umpqua’s Taryn Evans, 12-1. Ngo advanced at 123 with a 10-0 tech. fall against Shea Reisel of Dubuque. At 130 pounds, Frost and Baudhuin battled in an all-Iowa quarterfinal. Frost came out on top with a fall in 4:16. Besco downed Victory’s Emma Gruenhagen via a 10-0 tech. fall at 136, and Luft notched a win as well over Mattison Parker of Texas Wesleyan with a 12-2 tech. fall. Larramendy notched a win at 143, pinning Texas Wesleyan’s Jalynn Patino in 1:14. Mir took the medical forfeit over Janida Garcia of Tiffin, and Haley Ward finished the day with her tech. fall over Umpqua’s Zoey Smalley, 10-0. Alivia White also advanced ahead to the finals at 191, where she will meet Jaycee Foeller who is wrestling unattached. Emmily Patneaud, unattached, will face Luft in the 136 semifinal.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH CLARISSA CHUN

“It is great to have 10 of our athletes advancing through to the semifinals. Every time we step on the mat, whether it’s at practice or in competition, our goal is to get one percent better. I am always extremely proud of their efforts and how they carry themselves on and off of the mat. Coming back from winter break and performing the way they did shows how locked in they are. We are excited to be back in action tomorrow.”

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes will wrap up competition on day two of Soldier Salute, tomorrow starting at 11 a.m. (CT). All matches will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).