MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon Women's Wrestling team kicked off the new year with strong performances at the Mat Cat Open, hosted by Linfield University on Sunday. By the end of the day, four Mountaineers stood proudly on the podium, including a runner-up finish and multiple top-four finishes.
In the 131 pound division, Makenna Duran had an impressive tournament, earning a well-deserved 2nd place finish. After opening up with a bye, Duran quickly pinned her first opponent in just 42 seconds. She followed up with a tough 12-9 decision victory over Delijah Diego from Pacific University. In the finals, Duran fell 11-0 to Umpqua's Bella Ngo, but her strong performance throughout the tournament earned her the silver.
At 160 pounds, Paige Allen battled her way to a 3rd place finish. After a first round loss to Umpqua's Arianna Mauch, Allen bounced back with a second round default win before pinning Southwestern Oregon's Alexandrea Estala in just 34 seconds. In her final matchup, Allen secured a dominant 10-0 technical fall victory over teammate Lizzy Hodges.
Lizzy Hodges, also competing at 160 pounds, secured a 4th place podium finish. After a tough first round loss, Hodges recovered with a default win before and a 1:43 fall over Umpqua's Arianna Mauch, advancing her to the 3rd place match. Unfortunately, she was unable to overcome Allen in the final matchup, landing in 4th place.
Finally, in the 124 pound bracket, Brooklyn Jones battled through matches to earn a 4th place finish. After a first round bye and a dominant 11-0 technical fall over Paige Chafin, Jones suffered a 6-0 decision loss to Southern Oregon's Myla Weller. She bounced back with a 10-0 technical fall over Southwestern Oregon's Diana Brunell but fell short in the semifinals with a tough loss to Umpqua's Myra Pressnell, ultimately finishing 4th.
Though the Mountaineers faced some tough losses, their skill and grit were evident throughout the day. With the season now halfway through, these grapplers show promise for continued progress and future podium finishes.
The team looks ahead to the next tournament, returning to action Sunday, January 18th, for the Evergreen Open in Olympia, Washington.