Alvarado, Edwards lead Rio women in program debut

Rio Grande Sports Information
     TIFFIN, Ohio - The University of Rio Grande women's wrestling team made its program debut on Saturday at the Tiffin University Open and had a pair grapplers finish in the top six of their respective weight classes.
     Freshman Angie Alvarado (Lima, Peru) had the RedStorm's best day, rebounding from a tough start to finish fifth in the 124-pound bracket.
     After receiving a first-round bye, Alvarado dropped a 10-3 decision to Josie Davis of Campbellsville before reeling off four consecutive victories in the consolation bracket.
     Alvarado posted a 10-0 technical fall win over Raelie Hernandez of Bluefield State before pinning Paige Campbell of Adrian College at 2:34 and earning a 14-7 decision over MaryAlice Lynch of Alma College.
     She then posted an 8-5 decision over high school entry Morgan Leonhardt before losing to Davis a second time, by fall, at 2:20.
     Alvarado was then awarded a forfeit win over Cynthia Pyatt of West Liberty University in the fifth place match.
     Rio Grande also got a sixth-place showing from freshman Jessica Edwards (Harrison, OH) in the 207-pound bracket.
     Edwards began the day with back-to-back triumphs by fall - at 1:50 over Zi Peek from Campbellsville and at 1:45 against Kiley McClain of Bluefield State - before losing by fall at 3:47 of her match to Allison Ott of Tiffin Calvert Catholic.
     Edwards then lost to McClain, who gained a measure of revenge for her loss in the first meeting between the two, with a win by fall at 1:36 of the fifth-place match.
     Eight other wrestlers represented the RedStorm in the event.
     Freshman Vanessa Rechterman (Xenia, OH) and freshman Kami Ratcliff (Belleville, IL) earned a pair of wins in the 145-pound and the 160-pound divisions, respectively.
     Rechterman got both of her wins by fall - at 1:07 against Isabella Richardson of Adrian College and just 44 seconds into her matchup with Tatiana Bermudez of Tiffin University - before losing by fall to both Leilani Martinez of Campbellsville and high schooler Gennaveve Matt.
     Ratcliff had a first-round bye before topping Erin Riggle of Indiana Tech by fall at 1:24. She then lost by fall to Charniece McClarrence of Bluefield State at 4:52, before beating Nahomi Marmolejo of Adrian College by fall at 3:42 and dropping a 9-2 decision to Erin Martin of Tiffin in the consolation bracket.
     Freshman Annalis Ortez (Portland, OR), freshman Hailey Williams (Mason, OH) and redshirt freshman Dulce Lopez (Postville, IA) all posted 1-2 records for the RedStorm.
     Ortez posted a 10-0 technical fall win over Jenna Thompson of Trine University at 131 pounds, while Williams won an injury-shortened match over Alexis Hart-Butcher of Adrian College in the 117-pound consolation bracket and Lopez beat Ayla Lipscomb of Grand Valley State by fall at 1:30 of their 110-pound consolation bracket match.
     Sophomore Kara Bebout (Mechanicsburg, OH), freshman Claudia Mendez (Henderson, KY) and freshman Gabriela Flores-Bonilla (Indianapolis, IN) were also part of the RedStorm's historic day as well, although all three dropped both of their matches in the 145-, 160- and 117-pound brackets, respectively.
     Rio Grande is scheduled to return to action on Saturday at the Eagle Madness Open in Marietta, Ga.