2019 U.S. Open Women's Wrestling Recap
2019 U.S. Open Women's Wrestling Recap
A round-up of all the women's wrestling from the 2019 U.S. Open.
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By The Wrestling Quoter (@WrestlingQuoter )
The 2019 US Open Women’s Freestyle tournament involved a plethora of past National and World Teamers across the age-groups vying for their spot on the 2019 National Team. With six Final X tickets available across the ten weight-classes, the nation’s best entered small but talent-laden brackets as USAWrestling took its next step toward naming this year’s World Team. In weights where a returning World medalist is the incumbent, i.e., 53, 62, 68, and 76KG, the prize for a US Open champion is a bye to the World Team Trials Challenge tournament final best-of-three series, to be conducted May 17-18 in Raleigh, North Carolina. For all remaining weight-classes, the US Open champion gets a seat in Final X. Finally, the top-5 placers at each weight-class qualify for the World Team Trials in Raleigh.
Final X Rutgers -- June 8, 2019
68KG | Tamyra Mensah-Stock | 2018 World Bronze |
Berths available at US Open: 50, 57, 65, and 72KG.
Final X Lincoln -- June 15, 2019
53KG | Sarah Hildebrandt | 2018 World Silver |
62KG | Mallory Velte | 2018 World Bronze |
76KG | Adeline Gray | 2018 World Gold |
Berths available at US Open: 55 and 59KG.
50 Kilograms
On the line at the US Open: bye to Final X Rutgers
The stakes were incredibly high at the lightweight class at the US Open. With a berth to Final X on the line, 2018 #3 National Teamer, currently ranked-#1 in the USA and No. 15 in the World, Erin Golston was joined by a bevy of domestic stars, the vast majority of whom brought with them age-group and Senior-level World tournament experience. The top-five seeds all entered with past National Team experience, with three having made multiple World Teams.
Through the Round-of-16, the top-eight seeds separated themselves from the field in a sadistic manner. Of the eight matches, all ended via technical-superiority or fall and six ended in the first period. The top-eight seeds outscored their opponents a collective 85-2 to advance as seeded. Such a performance set-up a quarterfinal round full of intrigue.
On the bottom-side of the 50KG bracket, 4x and returning World Teamer, seeded and ranked-#2 in the country and No. 19 in the World, Whitney Conder presented herself as the toughest trial-by-fire to date for age-group prodigy Emily Shilson, a Youth Olympic Games and Cadet World Champion a year ago and currently ranked-fifth in the nation. Shilson had scored a decisive 11-0 first-period victory over 4x WCWA All-American Sarah Allen to advance to the quarterfinal. Nonetheless, Conder demonstrated that “there’s levels to this,” stifling a fearless Shilson in a 10-0 firefight.
On the other side of the semi from Conder was third-seeded and third-ranked, 2x World 5th and returning #2 National Teamer at the weight Victoria Anthony, who herself was teaching a lesson in ‘levels.’ Facing the up-and-coming, #6-seed in 2019 double WCWA/NAIA Champion Alleida Martinez, Anthony scored her own 10-0 victory to set-up a rematch of the Final X series between the two past World Teamers that went the distance a year ago.
On the top-side of the bracket, #1 ranked Erin Golston fended off 2x WCWA All-American Maria Vidales 14-5 to advance to the semifinals, while past Olympic and World Teamer Haley Augello, ranked-#2 at 53KG where she was the #2 National Teamer in 2018, won a tightly-contested 2-1 bout over 2017 U23 World 5th and Senior National Teamer, fourth-ranked and fourth-seeded Amy Fearnside.
Coincidentally, both semifinal matches finished as 4-4 criteria decisions. The key difference was in one match, the triumphant wrestler needed to score -- and executed -- to win; in the other match, the triumphant wrestler needed to repel an attack under duress to walk-away the victor. Golston added another top-tier win when she scored a takedown with under ten-seconds remaining to top fellow 2018 National Teamer Haley Augello.
In the Final X rematch from a year ago, World No. 19 Conder and World No. 7 Anthony scrapped their way to another six-minute exchange. Earning a takedown with less than a minute to go to take the criteria lead, Conder weathered a heavy-storm by Anthony down to the last second to prevail, setting up a rematch with Golston in the US Open finals.
At the 2019 Dan Kolov, Golston started what may be her best senior-level season to date when she beat the two returning National Teamers (i.e., Conder and Anthony) ahead of her in international competition. Having reached the US Open finals, Golston was looking to cement herself as the class of the weight in the US. Standing in her way, and looking for revenge, was 2018 World Teamer Whitney Conder, who lost a narrow 2-1 match to Golston at the aforementioned Dan Kolov tournament.
It was Conder who reasserted herself as THE returning World Team representative at 50KG with an iron-clad mat-strategy in the finals. Conder stayed within range of Golston the entire match, generating action and defending her fair share of attacks but conceding nothing to her opponent. Despite Golston’s momentum from both the season and the tournament, she could not overcome a razor-sharp Whitney Conder. Conder scored a 4pt double-leg halfway through the first period to extend to a 5-0 lead. Another run-through leg attack in the second period gave Conder a 7-0 victory in the US Open finals, with a berth to her second straight Final X to go alongside the “stop-sign.”
2019 US Open WFS 50KG Top-5
Whitney Conder -- Final X
Erin Golston
Victoria Anthony
Haley Augello
Amy Fearnside
53 Kilograms
Sitting in Final X Lincoln: 2018 World Silver Sarah Hildebrandt
On the line at the US Open: bye to the World Team Trials Challenge Finals
Returning World Silver and World No. 1 Sarah Hildebrandt accepted her auto-berth to Final X, meaning a bye to the World Team Trials Challenge finals was on the line at 53KG. Top-seeded in the bracket was 3x WCWA Champion and 2018 #3 National Teamer Cody Pfau, ranked-#3 in the nation. The remainder of the field included a multiple-time National Teamer and many young, rising collegiate stars.
In the quarterfinal round, the top-four seeds shut-out their opponents by a combined 36-0 to each advance to the semi-final. This would set-up an exciting semi-final round bringing the past, present, and future of the weight-class to the stage. Cody Pfau met a young, seventh-ranked Tiara Ikei in her semifinal bout. Ikei, who is still a prep, won a Cadet World Bronze last year. In an unfortunate turn of events, Pfau was eventually defeated via 12-10 fall after leading the match 10-2. Injury appeared to play a role in this result even though Pfau elected to wrestle through until the end. To be sure, take nothing away from Ikei, who was surging her way back into the match before the apparent injury occurred.
On the bottom-side of the bracket, the past met the present as multiple-time National Teamer, 2008 University World Champion and 2x WCWA Champion for Menlo College, #4-ranked Katherine (Fulp-Allen) Shai met 2019 WCWA Champion for Menlo College and #6-ranked Gracie Figueroa in the semi. Figueroa was a 3x Cadet World Teamer and 2017 Junior World Teamer with a Cadet World Bronze to her name. She brought her offense-heavy style into her match with Shai but it was the veteran-savvy of Shai that prevailed in a 15pt affair.
After taking time away from competition, Shai worked her way into the US Open finals to meet a young prospect looking for her own first senior World Team selection in Tiare Ikei. Having both earned upset victories in their respective semis, it was anyone’s title to win at WFS53. In what started as a steady match controlled by the veteran Shai, who held a 4-2 lead after the first period, it was Ikei that sparked in the an early-second period exchange in which Ikei scored eight points in a hurry to lead 10-4. On the restart, a stunned Shai opted to go blast double to which Ikei was able to counter with a match-terminating 4pt pancake to take her first career US Open senior title in her first year of senior competition in technically superior fashion, 14-4. Ikei now sits in the World Team Trials finals and will need to prevail in the best-of-three series there to meet incumbent Sarah Hildebrandt in Final X.
2019 US Open WFS 53KG Top-5
Tiare Ikei -- WTT Challenge Finals
Katherine Shai
Gracie Figueroa
Cody Pfau
Peyton Prussin
55 Kilograms
On the line at the US Open: bye to Final X Lincoln
The 55KG bracket was filled to the brim with talent, led by returning World 5th Jacarra Winchester, top-ranked in the country and No. 7 in the World, in addition to 2018 National Teamers Alexandra Hedrick, ranked-#2 at WFS57 domestically and recently crowned the 55KG Pan American Champion, and Dominique Parrish, the 2018 U23 World Teamer and 2019 Miranda Award winner. Add in fourth-ranked, Cadet World Champion and 3x Junior World Teamer Ronna Heaton as well as 2012 National Teamer Shauna Isbell Kemp in the field and suddenly the race for the golden ticket to Final X was heating up. As Winchester navigated the field of contenders it was an unlikely run to the finals by an unseeded competitor that nearly stole the show.
Defending US Open Champion Winchester wrestled just over four-minutes in three matches to make it to the finals for the second-straight year. After recently winning a 2019 Pan Am Bronze medal at 57KG, Winchester returned to her main competition weight and made a statement to all challengers as she trounced her opponents via 6-0 fall, 10-0 tech, and 10-0 tech leading up to the finals. This run included a 10-0 semifinal match against the talented 5th-ranked Alisha Howk, who was 5th at Junior Worlds in 2018. On the bottom side of the bracket, despite not being seeded and drawing the highly-heralded 2-seed Dominique Parrish in the first round, 6th-ranked Areana Villaescusa made the best of it, giving the retuning #3 National Teamer Parrish all she wanted in a 5-5 criteria slugfest.
Villaescusa, a 2017 U23 #2 National Teamer, then proceeded to take out age-group star, Ronna Heaton 8-2 in the quarters. Proceeding to the semis, Villaescusa faced sixth-seeded, 4x WCWA top-3 All-American and current University of Jamestown head coach Shauna Isbell-Kemp. Down 2-1 late in the second period with all points scored via shot-clock violations, Villaescusa committed to an uchi-mata/whizzer-kick after Isbell-Kemp got overly aggressive with a body-lock and got put right to her back by Villaescusa, who secured the fall to make it into the US Open finals. Despite her incredible run to the finals, Villaescusa’s momentum was not enough to stop the force that Jacarra Winchester has become since she established herself at the weight-class a year ago. Winchester collected her fourth-straight first period victory via 10-0 technical superiority over Villaescusa to earn her second-consecutive trip to Final X.
2019 US Open WFS 55KG Top-5
Jacarra Winchester -- Final X
Areana Villaescusa
Dominique Parrish
Alisha Howk
Shauna Isbell-Kemp
57 Kilograms
On the line at the US Open: bye to Final X Rutgers
With all three 2018 National Teamers (Helen Maroulis, Alex Hedrick, and Michaela Beck) absent from the WFS57 field, the trip to Final X was truly up for grabs. Garnering the top-seed was 2x World Teamer Jenna Burkert, ranked-#2 at 59KG. Opposite Burkert at the 2-seed was third-ranked 3x World/Olympic Teamer and 2016 Olympic Team Trials Champion Kelsey Campbell, followed by 2017 55KG World Bronze and 2018 #2 National Teamer Becka Leathers at the 3-seed. Burkert earned 11-0 and 13-0 respective technical superiority triumphs over ninth-ranked 2019 WCWA All-American Sierra Brown Ton and sixth-ranked 4x WCWA All-American, 2019 NAIA runner-up Koral Sugiyama to make the finals. On the bottom-side, Becka Leathers handled 2019 double WCWA/NAIA All-American Dajan Treder, ranked-#10 at 55KG, 10-0 to advance to the semis to face 2017 Junior World 5th Cameron Guerin, ranked-#7 at 55KG. Guerin upset the Olympian Campbell 6-4 in the quarters to advance. Leathers, however, proved to be a more formidable adversary and shut-down Guerin 14-4 to set-up a finals meeting between two past World Teamers.
In the finals, Burkert surged to a 4-1 lead early in the second period on the strength of two go-behind takedowns but a counter-exposure made it 4-3 for Burkert. In the final minute, Leathers scored on a four-point sequence via a takedown and exposure before giving up a 1pt reversal to take a 7-5 lead en route to her first US Open title. Altogether a successful move-up from 55KG, it will be Becka Leathers waiting in Final X at 57KG.
2019 US Open WFS 57KG Top-5
Becka Leathers -- Final X
Jenna Burkert
Cameron Guerin
Kelsey Campbell
Allison Petix
59 Kilograms
On the line at the US Open: bye to Final X Lincoln
At WFS59KG, Alli Ragan returned to the domestic scene after an injury derailed what would have been Ragan’s sixth-straight World tournament appearance after she beat Jenna Burkert in straight matches at Final X 2018. A five-time World Teamer with two World Silver medals to her name, Ragan entered the US Open looking to reassert herself again at the weight-class. Looking to spoil Ragan’s Open included multiple-time WCWA All-Americans Abby Nette, ranked-#4 in the US and the U23 World Teamer in 2018; Megan Black, ranked-#7 in the US; #8-ranked Lauren Mason; and 2018 #3 National Teamer, #6-ranked Lauren Louive.
With last year’s World Alternate and #2-ranked Jenna Burkert competing at WFS57, Ragan was the clear favorite and earned the #1-seed. Ragan stormed to the finals, outscoring her opponents 25-2 on her way, including a 12-2 technical superiority win over 2x WCWA All-American Lauren Mason. Meeting Ragan in the finals was 2x WCWA All-American and 2019 WCWA National Champion Abby Nette. Nette matched Ragan’s tournament performance up to that point with a first round fall and two technical superiority decisions to make the Open finals. In her respective semifinal, Nette beat Ragan’s teammate Lauren Louive, 10-0. Nette and Ragan were on a collision course, and though it took more than a period, the 2x World Silver scored a 10-0 victory over the collegian Nette to secure her second Final X invitation.
2019 US Open WFS 59KG Top-5
Alli Ragan -- Final X
Abby Nette
Lauren Mason
Lauren Louive
Megan Black
62 Kilograms
Sitting in Final X Lincoln: 2018 World Bronze Mallory Velte
On the line at the US Open: bye to the World Team Trials Challenge Finals
2x-defending US Open Champion and #2 National Teamer Kayla Miracle dominated her way through the US Open, going unscored upon and wrestling a total of 5 minutes and 51 seconds en route to an Open title in what was a bloodbath of a championship-side bracket at WFS62. Of the eleven championship matches contested, only two did not end via technical superiority or fall and winners earned shut-out victories in all but two matches.
In the quarterfinals, the closest match was the 4-vs-5 rematch of the 2018 Junior World Team Trial finals pitting Junior World Teamer, 4th-ranked Alexandria Liles against 2018 Junior Pan American Champion, 8th-ranked Brianna Csontos. It would once again be Liles prevailing, here 9-3, to advance and face the stalwart Miracle in the semifinals.
On the bottom-side of the bracket, 6th-seeded Desiree Zavala scored two upset victories through her three wins over fellow multi-time WCWA All-Americans en route to the finals. Zavala started her tournament with a 10-2 fall over 2019 double WCWA/NAIA All-American Bridgette Duty followed by a 7-0 upset victory over 4x WCWA All-American Alexis Porter, who was ranked-6th at 65KG. In her semifinal, Zavala flattened third-ranked #2-seed Brenda Reyna, the returning #3 National Teamer, in just 53 seconds.
Despite their impressive performances, neither Liles nor Zavala were able to stop Kayla Miracle, who posted identical 10-0 first period technical superiority wins against both wrestlers. With her third straight US Open title, Miracle earns an automatic bid to the World Team Trials Challenge finals and will look to set-up another Final X showdown with the waiting Mallory Velte, the returning World Bronze at the weight.
2019 US Open WFS 62KG Top-5
Kayla Miracle -- WTT Challenge Finals
Desiree Zavala
Alexis Porter
Brenda Reyna
Alexandria Liles
65 Kilograms
On the line at the US Open: bye to Final X Rutgers
A talented field entered at WFS65 with a berth to Final X on the line. Returning World 5th, top-ranked and top-seeded Forrest Molinari looked to improve on her runner-up performance at the Open in 2018. Returning #2 National Teamer, ranked-#2 in the USA, Julia Salata entered the Open the defending champion. Both Molinari and Salata were 4x WCWA All-Americans and National Champions for King University during the collegiate careers, and both made the US Open finals and Final X a year ago. Iron sharpens iron, truly.
The small bracket of eight also included a solid crop of experienced challengers: 2017 Junior World Champion, U23 World Teamer, and Senior National Teamer, #4-ranked Maya Nelson at the 3-seed; 2018 Cadet World Champion and Junior World Silver, ranked-#2 at 68KG Macey Kilty; 2019 WCWA Runner-up and ranked-#5 at 62KG, Nicole Joseph; and 2019 WCWA/NAIA double All-American Destiny Lyng. After a round of wrestling, the top-four seeds had shut-out their opponents a combined 27-0 in the quarterfinals to set two semifinal confrontations filled with substantial implications.
Coming out of the 4-seed, Macey Kilty faced returning World Teamer Forrest Molinari. In a competitive bout, Molinari advanced to the US Open finals once again as she prevailed over a very competent Kilty, 7-3. Molinari secured an early 4pt lead that she reinforced with her whistle-to-whistle offense. Meanwhile, Maya Nelson, who won the 2019 Dave Schultz earlier this year, faced one Julia Salata, herself fresh off a gold-medal performance at the 2019 Pan American Championships. Nelson surged in the second period to upset returning US Open Champion Salata in an 8-0 shut-out. After a 1-0 first period that had Nelson leading on a shot-clock point, Nelson scored seven unanswered points to put herself in the finals.
In the championship match, Nelson looked to knock off Molinari outright to sit in Final X. After a 1-0 first period, it was Molinari who scored five unanswered points to return to Final X for a second straight year and improve on her runner-up finish a year ago at the US Open. Scoring on a push-out, a shot-clock violation, and a crucial two point exposure in addition to a point for a failed challenge in the second frame made the difference for Molinari.
2019 US Open WFS 65KG Top-5
Forrest Molinari -- Final X
Maya Nelson
Macey Kilty
Nicole Joseph
Destiny Lyng
68 Kilograms
Sitting in Final X Rutgers: 2018 World Bronze Tamyra Mensah-Stock
On the line at the US Open: bye to the World Team Trials Challenge Finals
With 2018 World Bronze, nationally ranked-#1 and No. 2 in the World, Tamyra Mensah-Stock waiting in Final X and #2-ranked Macey Kilty competing at WFS65, returning #2 National Teamer and #3-ranked Randi Beltz earned the top-seed at WFS68. 2019 WCWA Champion and returning #3 National Teamer at 65KG Jayden Laurent earned the 2-seed while 2019 3rd-place All-American Ashlynn Ortega and 2x All-American Kayla Marano earned the 3- and 4-seeds, respectively. The top-four advanced through to the semis in decisive fashion, with three picking up shut-out, technical superiority or fall victories. In the semifinals, Laurent scored a mid-second period takedown to get passed Ortega, 4-2, to make the finals. On her side of the bracket, Beltz put a hasty 10-0 tech on #6-ranked, 2019 double WCWA/NAIA All-American Anna Naylor in the quarters before sneaking passed Kayla Marano in the semis 10-9.
In the title-match, Beltz was methodical in her approach and kept adding to a lead she earned early to secure the win. To her credit, Laurent attacked the entire match, but was not able earn points outside of a late, inconsequential step-out point in a 10-1 Beltz victory. The tournament win marked Beltz’s first US Open title and earned her the auto-bid to the World Team Trials Challenge finals.
2019 US Open WFS 68KG Top-5
Randi Beltz -- WTT Challenge Finals
Jayden Laurent
Ashlynn Ortega
Kayla Marano
Skylar Grote
72 Kilograms
On the line at the US Open: bye to Final X Rutgers
With last year’s World Teamer Erin Clodgo absent from the field, the Open title and guaranteed trip to Final X at 72KG was anyone’s for the taking. Given the invaluable opportunity, a field filled with prospective and proven talent congregated to look for their guaranteed place on the National Team. With only five wrestlers seeded, all five advanced to the quarters in what would be a revelating round.
Topping the bracket at the #1-seed was number-three ranked Dymond Guilford, a 2x WCWA All-American and a double WCWA/NAIA national champion this past season. Guilford was a 2018 Junior World Teamer at 76kg and won the German Gran Prix at that weight-class earlier this year. Facing the unseeded, incoming-freshman for Campbellsville in Alexis Gomez, Guilford found herself in a firefight early and often. With eleven points scored in the first period, the match was defined by Guilford’s pace and high attack rate versus Gomez’s high-risk, high-reward ability to get 4pters. In the end, it was Gomez winning a 10-9 upset.
In the 4-vs-5 quarter below, a rematch of the 2019 WCWA semi-final was underway. 5th-ranked, 2019 WCWA Runner-up and NAIA Champion Iman Kazem faced 6th-ranked, WCWA 3rd-place All-American Alyvia Fiske. Kazem beat Fiske at nationals in a 9-7 affair earlier this year. However, it was Fiske, a Junior World Teamer, #2 U23 National Teamer, and #3 Senior National Teamer in 2018, that prevailed to advance to the semi-finals, scoring a takedown in each period to win, 4-0. Alyvia Fiske and Alexis Gomez met in an exciting, 20-point match that was unfortunately marred by some injury. Much like her quarterfinal against Guilford, Gomez initiated big, 4pt scoring sequences that brought potentially high-reward, but also put the body in danger. With Gomez leading 4-2 after one period a Fiske takedown, an errant throw attempt by Gomez leading to 4pts for Fiske, and a leg-lace for Fiske made it 10-4 Fiske in a hurry. A Gomez takedown would be too little to regain the match and Fiske made the finals, 10-6.
3-seed, #2-ranked Victoria Francis, the 2017 World Teamer at 75kg and a 2x WCWA Champion, dispatched 2019 double WCWA/NAIA All-American Myranda Velazquez via 12-2 technical superiority to set-up a 2-vs-3 semifinal against returning #2 National Teamer and 3x Junior World Teamer Rachel Watters. Francis, who wrestled an exciting 5-4, back-and-forth match against the talented Rachel Watters, would be the one to meet Fiske in the US Open finals. With three lead changes in the second period, Francis and Watters put on a show.
2018 #3 National Teamer Alyvia Fiske faced 2017 World Teamer Victoria Francis in a war of attrition in the front-headlock. Where Fiske generated offense via leg attacks, Francis sought to score her points from short-offense. Nonetheless, both found success in the position, trading control of the match multiple times before Fiske scored the go-ahead takedown with under thirty-seconds to go in the match to win, 5-4.
2019 US Open WFS 72KG Top-5
Alyvia Fiske -- Final X
Victoria Francis
Iman Kazem
Lena Flanagan
Rachel Watters
76 Kilograms
Sitting in Final X Lincoln: 2018 World Champion Adeline Gray
On the line at the US Open: bye to World Team Trials Challenge Finals
With 4x (and defending) World Champion Adeline Gray awaiting in Final X, the 2019 US Open field was led by 2018 National Teamers Korinahe Bullock, ranked-#2 in the country, and Hannah Gladden, ranked-#7 at 72KG, in addition to fourth-ranked 2x WCWA All-American and NAIA runner-up Precious Bell, 2018 US Open Runner-up Leilani Camargo-Naone, and 3x WCWA All-American and NAIA Champion Paige Baynes. Sitting at the top of the bracket, despite being unranked by USAWrestling, was Paige Baynes. Baynes competed at 191lbs in college (nearly 87KG), but made the cut here at the Open. In the quarterfinals, Baynes quickly dispatched 2019 NAIA 7th-placer Payton Rigert via 10-0 tech. Across from Baynes in the semis would be Precious Bell, who also earned a 10-0 tech in her respective quarterfinal over 2x WCWA All-American Nahiela Magee.
The bottom-bracket at 76KG erupted, with the #2 and #3 seeds falling in the quarterfinals. The aforementioned Bullock, seeded-third and a U23 World Bronze and Final X participant a year ago, was shocked in the quarters when she met fellow 2018 National Teamer Hannah Gladden. Gladden kept a smothering pace to earn a tightly-contested 2-2 criteria victory to advance to the semis in what would be the closest championship-round match of the tournament.
#2-seed, 2018 WCWA Finalist and 2019 NAIA All-American Leilani Camargo-Naone was blindsided in her quarterfinal. Facing unseeded, unranked NAIA All-American Kenya-Lee Sloan, Camargo-Naone could not string together offense while Sloan imposed herself to a lopsided scoreboard before an eventual fall.
In the semis, 5th-seed Precious Bell continued her offensive onslaught to shock top-seeded Paige Baynes 12-2. Leading 5-2, a Bell body-lock called 4pts was challenged by Baynes’s corner and gave Bell an extra point on the failed challenge. Suddenly leading 10-2, Bell scored another takedown to secure her place in the finals. On the other side of the bracket, Hannah Gladden earned a hard-fought win over Kenya-Lee Sloan in what was an eventual fall. Leading 6-4 late, Gladden executed a perfectly timed cow-catcher for four, straight to a fall. This set up an unlikely finals match between the 5- and 6-seeds.
In the finals, Precious Bell put a stamp on her bonus-point tournament performance. Facing Gladden, Bell kept putting herself in scoring position and led 4-2 as the first frame of the match expired. In the second period, Bell stayed offensive in the front headlock and fought herself to a near-side cradle that led to the eventual fall for a US Open title. With her performance, Bell now waits in the World Team Trials Finals.
2019 US Open WFS 76KG Top-5
Precious Bell -- WTT Challenge Finals
Hannah Gladden
Korinahe Bullock
Nahiela Magee
Kenya Bullock