The No. 21 Chadron State College women’s wrestling team took on the No. 3 Colorado Mesa Mavericks, in a dual match on Friday, in Grand Junction, Colorado. Mesa won 41-3, in the Eagles’ first tussle this season against a nationally ranked NCAA opponent.
The CMU Mavericks received their program’s highest ever national ranking in the preseason, getting tabbed third in NCAA women’s wrestling in the latest poll. They had previously finished in the top five at the national championship multiple times.
Four ranked CMU wrestlers were on the varsity roster Friday evening.
Sophomore Jennesis Martinez of Colorado Mesa, at 101 pounds, is ranked third in the preseason after a former All-American showing. She earned a tech fall, 10-0 over CSC freshman Britley Lopez.
The Mavericks’ Junior Marrisa Gallegos, at 123, was the preseason No. 1, after a third-place showing at last year’s national championships. She was a winner by fall over CSC freshman Ana Rojas Zamora.
CMU’s Dalia Garibay is ranked No. 2 at 155 pounds. She dispatched CSC’s Leila Martin with a pin at 4:29 into the match.
Finally, top-ranked Jayleen Sekona, at 191 pounds, scored a 10-0 technical fall over Sofia Rubio, the defending junior college national champion at that weight class.
Chadron State earned three team points in matches by Heavynne Robles-Wright, at 109 pounds, Isabell Ortiz, at 116, and Kamila Montenegro at 170, by virtue of an individual bout score greater than zero. All three matches were simple decisions and only earned three team points apiece for Mesa.
CSC will remain in Grand Junction to compete in an open meet Saturday.