King avenges loss to OCU for third women’s National Duals title

Hannah Jewell and Forrest Molinari sandwiched a 53-second fall by teammate Jessi Kee with a pair of technical falls as the trio of King University wrestlers used three straight victories to help the top-ranked Tornado defeat No. 2 Oklahoma City, 27-19, and capture a third straight NWCA National Duals championship in the Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association tournament, Jan. 9, at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Ft. Wayne, Ind.

This victory also avenged an earlier season loss to OCU, which the Stars won on criteria in a 22-22 tie.

King, located in Knoxville, Tenn., won the first three matches — highlighted by a 12-10 upset victory by No. 3 Breanna Neal over top-ranked Cody Pfau at 109 pounds — before Oklahoma City came back to win three straight bouts, including Becka Leathers’ 1:37 pin against Ricki Liang at 123, which gave OCU a 14-13 lead with four bouts remaining.

But King scored bonus points in winning the next three bouts, highlighted by Kee’s 53-second fall over Yvonne Galindo at 155 pounds to give the Tornado a 22-15 lead before Molinari’s 12-2 technical fall over Rachale Butler clinched the dual title for King.

NWCA National Duals • Jan. 9, 2016 • Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association

First Round

Ottawa defeated Adrian, 35-14

Campbellsville defeated Missouri Baptist, 44-0

McKendree defeated Waldorf, 39-1

Lindenwood defeated Life, 35-11

Wayland Baptist defeated Missouri Valley, 30-17

Quarterfinals

King U. defeated Ottawa, 44-0

Campbellsville defeated McKendree, 29-16

Oklahoma City defeated Lindenwood, 29-10