Canada’s Simon Fraser upsets Oklahoma City for Women’s National Duals title

Simon Fraser University is located in Vancouver, B.C. in Canada … over 2,200 miles from Springfield, Ill., and the site of the Cliff Keen NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals.

That apparently was not that far of a trip for the women’s wrestling team from the Canadian college, which was seeded No. 3 for this year’s women’s National Duals tournament … and left with its first championship with a 27-13 victory over five-time team titlist Oklahoma City on Jan. 12.

Simon Fraser, won seven of the ten freestyle weight classes, including a 57-pin by former World medalist Helen Maroulis at 130 pounds and a 7-0, 6-0 technical fall by Victoria Anthony at 109 pounds. Maroulis’ fall helped SFU build a 15-4 lead before OKC won two matches.

Simon Fraser put the final outcome out of reach by winning the final three matches, including a 1-0, 3-1 victory by Justina Distasio over Brittany Roberts at 170 pounds.

In the earlier-round matches, Simon Fraser first defeated the University of the Cumberlands, 36-3, as 123-pound Laura Wilson and Distasio scored pins. In the 27-13 semifinal win over King College (Tenn.), Anthony scored a fall.

Oklahoma City reached the final with a 41-3 win over Waldorf (Iowa) and a 33-7 victory over Missouri Valley. Emily Webster, OKC’s 101-pounder, went undefeated over the weekend, including a fall over Missouri Valley’s Dalina Vuong and technical fall over Simon Fraser’s Darby Huckle.