IOWA CITY, Iowa – On the second day of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling, the King University women's wrestling team had nine women in action with aspirations for making the 2016 Olympic Team. Haley Augello led the way, defeating the top seed in the semifinals before defeating second seed Victory Anthony 2-1 in the best-of-three final to win the championship and earn a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team.
THE BASICS
EVENT: U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling
LOCATION Carver-Hawkeye Arena; Iowa City, Iowa
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Augello entered the tournament ranked third at 48 kilograms and started her day with an 11-0 technical fall victory over Candace Workman. She followed that with a 6-1 triumph over fifth-ranked Erin Golston to reach the semifinals.
- In the semifinals, Augello faced top-ranked Alyssa Lampe who has been a member of Team USA for seven years. The match was tight the entire way until Augello got a late takedown, earning the 7-6 victory that moved her into the finals.
- In the finals, Augello faced second-ranked Victoria Anthony who has been a Team USA member for four years.
- In the first bout, Augello trailed 4-2, but came back with four straight points to take the 6-4 victory, moving her within one win of the championship.
- Anthony came back and scored the first eight points of the second match before Augello tried to come back. Augello got close, but couldn't grab the lead as Anthony took the bout 11-6.
- Augello took the lead from the onset of the final match and held Anthony off late, taking the 8-2 victory to earn her spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team.
- Molinari competed on Saturday at 69 kilograms where she went 2-2. On Sunday it was a different story at 75 kilograms as she won her first to bouts to reach the semifinals. She earned a 10-0 technical fall win over Renee Samano before topping Kristie Davis 3-2 in the quarterfinals.
- However, she fell to second-ranked Jackie Surber 2-1 in the semifinals before winning her final two bouts.
- In the consolation semifinals Molinari earned a 12-1 technical fall win over Alyssa LaFrancis before taking on Niauni Hill in the third place bout. The match was tight throughout until Molinari got Hill on her back in the second period, taking the match by fall in 3:51.
- Also competing for the second day in a row, Julia Salata went 1-2 on the day at 75 kilograms.
- At 53 kilograms, third-ranked Sarah Hildebrandt won her first bout defeating Cady Chassin 10-2. However, she fell to Katherine Fulp-Allen in the semifinals before reaching the consolation semifinals with back-to-back wins.
- Hildebrandt defeated Dajan Tredder 8-0 before earning 5:54 fall over Amy Fearnside in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals she squared off with second-ranked Michaela Hutchison who took the victory to move on to the third place bout.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Augello becomes the first King women's wrestling to make a U.S. Olympic team.
- The U.S. has not qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Rio at 48 kilograms, and Augello will travel to Mongolia in the coming weeks to qualify.
KING RESULTS BY WEIGHT CLASS
48 KG – Haley Augello 5-1; Breonnah Neal 1-2; Marina Doi 0-2; Regina Doi 0-2; Ashley Iliff 0-2
53 KG – Sarah Hildebrandt 2-2; Samantha Klingel 0-2
75 KG – Forrest Molinari 4-1, 3rd; Julia Salata 1-2
