Auggies dominate in win over Iowa Wesleyan
MINNEAPOLIS — Winning five of the seven bouts wrestled, including four by pin, the Augsburg University women’s wrestling team scored a 31-12 victory over Iowa Wesleyan University in a dual meet on Sunday afternoon at Si Melby Hall.
Augsburg, ranked No. 5 in the latest NWCA women’s NCAA national rankings, collected four wins and a technical fall to dominate in the win over Iowa Wesleyan, ranked No. 11 in the NAIA women’s national rankings.
Gabrielle Torgerson (SR, Spooner, Wis./Cumberland HS) claimed the quickest pin of the afternoon, ending her 123-pound match with IWU’s Zoi Smith in just 15 seconds. The pin, her eighth and her quickest of the season, was her third of under 30 seconds. Torgerson is now 22-8 this year.
In the highlight match of the day, Iowa Wesleyan’s Adaugo Nwachukwu, the No. 1-ranked 136-pounder in the NAIA, scored a 14-2, third-period technical fall of Augsburg’s Nina Makem (SO, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS), the NCAA’s top-ranked 136-pounder. Nwachukwu scored a takedown and a pair of exposures in the first period, then scored a takedown, exposure and a four-point throw to end the match early. The loss was Makem’s first by technical fall in her college career, sending her to 20-3 overall and 49-9 in her two seasons as an Auggie.
Augsburg’s Kya Rybachek (SR, Mountain Iron, Minn./Hibbing HS) improved to 11-5 on the year with her eighth pin of the year at 143 pounds, a 1:23 fall over Isabelle Hawley. Leading 4-0 a minute into the bout, Rybachek converted a four-point throw into the match-ending pin.
Tateum Park (SR, Davenport, Iowa/Davenport North HS) scored her third pin of the year, with a second-period pin of IWU’s Faith Cole, the No. 14-ranked NAIA wrestler at 116 pounds.
Faith Tuttle (SR, North St. Paul, Minn./North St. Paul HS) improved to 8-4 on the year with a dominating 10-0, first-period technical fall win over IWU’s Grace Gray at 191 pounds. Tuttle scored a pair of pushouts, two takedowns and two exposures to end the match early with her fifth technical fall of the year.
In an exhibition match, Augsburg’s Melissa Jacobs (SR, Belle Plaine, Minn./Belle Plaine HS (Scott West)) improved to 9-10 with a third pin of the year at 191, a 4:12 pin of Gray. Jacobs built a 9-0 lead into the second period on three takedowns, an exposure and a pushout before ending the match with the fall.
At 130 pounds, IWU’s Joanna Vanderwood scored a 5-3 win over Augsburg’s Autumn Flanigan (JR, Troy, Mo./Troy Buchanan HS) at 130. Vanderwood built a 5-0 lead early in the second period before Flanigan converted a reversal and a takedown in the final two minutes.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
The match was the final home event at Si Melby Hall for seven Augsburg seniors — Park, Torgerson, Rybachek, Tuttle, Jacobs, Marlynne Deede (SR, Springville, Utah/Springville HS) and Kahlea Jolly (SR, Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS). Deede, Jacobs, Jolly, Torgerson and Tuttle were part of Augsburg’s first class of student-athletes when the program began four seasons ago.
UP NEXT
Augsburg competes in a dual meet at Minot State (N.D.) on Jan. 28 at 1 p.m.
Official: Rod Stephens
No. 5 (NCAA) Augsburg 31, No. 11 (NAIA) Iowa Wesleyan 12
143 — Kya Rybachek (AUG, 11-5) pinned Isabelle Hawley (IWU, 8-8) 1:37 (Augsburg 5-0)
155 — No. 3 (NCAA) Brooklyn Hays (AUG, 23-7) wins by forfeit (Augsburg 10-0)
170 — No. 1 (NCAA) Marlynne Deede (AUG, 23-1) wins by forfeit (Augsburg 15-0)
191 — Faith Tuttle (AUG, 8-4) tech. fall. Grace Gray (IWU, 11-10) 10-0 at 2:58 (Augsburg 19-0)
101 — Double forfeit
109 — Destiny Carranza (IWU, 2-8) wins by forfeit (Augsburg 19-5)
116 — Tateum Park (AUG, 12-13) pinned No. 14 (NAIA) Faith Cole (IWU, 18-8) 4:47 (Augsburg 24-5)
123 — Gabrielle Torgerson (AUG, 22-8) pinned Zoi Smith (IWU, 7-6) 0:15 (Augsburg 29-5)
130 — No. 6 (NAIA) Joanna Vanderwood (IWU, 18-6) dec. Autumn Flanigan (AUG, 14-11) 5-3 (Augsburg 30-8)
136 — No. 1 (NAIA) Adaugo Nwachukwu (IWU, 18-0) tech. fall No. 1 (NCAA) Nina Makem (AUG, 20-3) 14-2 at 5:05 (Augsburg 31-12)
EXHIBITION MATCH:
191 — Melissa Jacobs (AUG, 9-10) pinned Grace Gray (IWU, 11-11) 4:12
Check out Auggies Women’s Wrestling at athletics.augsburg.edu.