Running Eagles Dominate on Senior Day
Women's Wrestling / 02.10.24
MARIETTA, Ga. --- Competing against primarily Mid-South Conference competition today, the Life University women's wrestling team went a perfect 4-0 (3-0 MSC) to continue their march to a third-straight Mid-South Conference Regular Season Title.
The first dual of the day set the Running Eagles against No. 13 Indiana Tech. An Ariana Martinez pin by Ariana Martinez got the team scoring after pair of bonus point losses saw Life U down 9-5 after three bouts.
A pin by Ana Krejsa in 2:16 kept the momentum in Life U's favor as the team team gained the lead after the123 lbs bout and never looked back. Krejsa's victory was followed by four consecutive 10-0 tech falls from; Riley Dalrymple, Angie Prado, Jamilah McBryde, and Latifah McBryde. Another tech fall victory by Margaret Graham was followed by a final pin from Maddy Welch to conclude the dual, 35-10.
After the end of the first match, the Running Eagles took a small break as the other MSC teams all dualed before the Running Eagles took the mat again against non-conference Emmanuel.
This time, Devin Gomez got things going with a pin in just over a minute after securing an early first period takedown. Brianna Funakoshi followed up her impressive performance with a tech fall. The Running Eagles then dropped a bout at 116 lbs before two more tech falls at 123 lbs and 130 lbs from Sophie Sarver and Sarah Savidge continued Life U's dominance. The Running Eagles then dropped the next two bouts setting up an entertaining finish.
With a slim 18-16 advantage, J. McBryde bumped up a weight class and earned a much-needed 12-2 win. L. McBryde followed with a second round 10-0 tech fall before Madeline Welch added the final touches with another tech fall 191 lbs.
The final two matches of the day for Life U were against Brewton-Parker and St. Andrews who both failed to field a full team.
First, Life U received five victories by forfeit from St. Andrews, those coming at 101, 109, 123, 155 and 191 lbs. The match also saw some of the quickest pins of the entire day, Ariana Martinez downing her opponent at 116 lbs in just 49 seconds, while Sarah Savidge bested her foe with a pin in just 0:29.
Prado and Shani Tyson also tabbed tech fall wins in the dual, combining for 22 points and conceding none.
The final dual of the day was similar to St. Andrews dual, Life U received seven victories by forfeit, those coming at 101, 123, 130, 143, 155, 170, and 191 lbs. At 109 lbs, Brianna Funakoshi bested her opponent with a tech fall in just over a minute. Ariana Martinez bested her foe with her second pin of the day, making use of the second period to earn a pin. The final bout for the Running Eagles was Dalrymple at 136 lbs, earning a pin in just under two minutes.
Next up, the Running Eagles travel for their final dual against Cumberlands this upcoming Friday for the Mid-South Conference Regular Season Championship.
