Fulp-Allen named Outstanding Wrestler as four U.S. women win Dave Schultz Memorial
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Katherine Fulp-Allen squares off against Sara Hildebrandt in the 53 kg finals at the Dave Schultz Memorial International. Photo by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four U.S. women won close finals matches to claim gold medals on the final day of the 18th Dave Schultz Memorial International on Sunday.
Named Outstanding Wrestler in the women’s division was Katherine Fulp-Allen of the New York AC, the champion at 53 kg/116.5 lbs. Fulp-Allen defeated Sarah Hildebrandt of the New York AC in the finals, 4-2.
Hildebrandt led 2-0 after a first period point when Fulp-Allen was put on the shot clock, and then a second period pushout. However Fulp-Allen scored a pair of two-point counter exposures, including one in the final seconds, for her four points.
“This is really, really big for me," Fulp-Allen said. "I have been wrestling at this tournament since I was a teenager and this has always been a really tough tournament. My dad and Dave (Schultz) worked together and were both Bay Area guys. This is really special,” she said.
Fulp-Allen missed the bulk of the 2015 season with an injury, and has been getting back in top form, right in time for the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City in April.
Another Dave Schultz Memorial champion who missed the 2015 season with injury was Brittany Roberts of the Sunkist Kids at 69 kg/152 lbs., who defeated Forrest Molinari of the Titan Mercury WC, 4-1 in the finals.
Molinari scored first on a pushout, then Roberts took a 2-1 lead on a counter exposure. The second period was full of action, where both wrestlers had effective counters to attacks. In the closing seconds, Roberts scored a go-behind takedown for the 4-1 win.
Roberts has recovered from two major knee injuries. She dropped down a weight class from her previous years up at 75 kg/165 lbs. to make her run at the Olympic Team.
“I am coming off of an injury so this was a great test for me," Roberts said. "I just had to maintain position, control the hands and capitalize on her mistakes. I wanted to stay on the attack and create offense which is a major advantage for me on the mat,” said Roberts.
Winning the highly-anticipated finals at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. was 2013 World Team member Victoria Anthony of the Titan Mercury WC, who edged 2008 World champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Clarissa Chun of the Sunkist Kids in the finals, 6-4.
Anthony led 5-0 in the first period, but Chun hit a four-point throw in the second period, which was followed by a quick Anthony reversal to make it 6-4. Chun tried a number of other attacks, but was unable to score again.
This was a rematch of the 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial finals, also won by Anthony. However, their most recent meeting was at the 2015 Bill Farrell International, in an event won by Chun.
“I just wrestled like myself," Anthony said. "Sometimes, I can play into the other person’s game plan and get slowed down. There's no need for that when I am wrestling my style,” said Anthony.
The other U.S. champion was college star Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids, who came from behind to edge Randi Beltz of the Titan Mercury WC, 9-8. Miracle was a WCWA women’s college national champion in 2015 for Campbellsville University
The match was tied at 4-4 at the break. Beltz scored two straight takedowns to lead 8-4. Miracle came back strong with two takedowns of her own, including one in the final 10 seconds to tie it at 8-8, which gave her the criteria. Beltz challenged the last takedown and lost, giving a final point to Miracle at the end.
“This is awesome," Miracle said. "I went to the World Team Trials and it didn't end the way I wanted. I got to avenge a loss from there today. It was awesome to see where I stand among Senior level athletes.
A pair of international athletes who are past World medalists were champions, Anastasija Grigorjeva of Latvia at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Epp Mae of Estonia at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Grigojeva, a 2014 World bronze medalist, got her offense untracked in the second period and defeated 2013 Junior World bronze medalist Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC, 12-5.
Mae, a 2015 World bronze medalist, scored a pin over 2005 World champion Iris Smith of the U.S. Army WCAP in 1:51. Smith was attempting to win a third career Dave Schultz Memorial title.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International is included in the #Road2IowaCity series of events which serve as qualifiers for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. The highest placing American wrestler in each weight class who wins a medal and has not yet qualified earned a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Based upon that, only one new athlete earned a spot in the Olympic Trials, Brittany Roberts at 69 kg/152 lbs. All of the other U.S. medalists had already qualified for Iowa City.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo.,
Women’s freestyle results
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold - Victoria Anthony (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Clarissa Chun (USA/Sunkist Kids), 6-4
Bronze – Erin Golston (USA/New York AC) tech. fall Nicole Woody (USA/Terrapin WC), 10-0
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Gold - Katherine Fulp-Allen (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Sarah Hildebrandt (USA/New York AC), 4-2
Bronze – Jade Parsons (Canada) dec. Jessica Medina (USA/Sunkist Kids), 5-5
58 kg/128 lbs.
Gold - Kayla Miracle (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Randi Beltz (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 9-8
Bronze – Becka Leathers (USA/Gator OKCU RTC) dec. Sally Roberts (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 6-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
1st - Anastasija Grigorjeva (Latvia) dec. Jennifer Page (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 12-5
3rd – Amanda Hendey (USA/Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Breanne Graham (Canada), 14-2
69 kg/152 lbs.
1st - Brittany Roberts (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Forrest Molinari (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 4-1
3rd – Jessika Rottier (USA/Univ. of the Cumberlands) pin Katerina Lobsinger (USA/Combat Sports), 4-1
75 kg/165 lbs.
1st -. Epp Mae (Estonia) pin Iris Smith (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 1:51
3rd – Justina DiStasio (Canada) pin Dayanara Rivera (Puerto Rico), 1:44
Outstanding Wrestler – Katherine Fulp-Allen (New York AC), 53 kg
Team Standings
1. Titan Mercury WC, 29
2. Sunkist Kids, 20
3. New Yor AC, 15
4. Canada, 11
5. U.S. Army WCAP, 8
6. (tie) Estonia and Latvia, 6
8. (tie) Puerto Rico, University of the Cumberlands, Combat Sports, Terrapin WC, 3
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four U.S. women won close finals matches to claim gold medals on the final day of the 18th Dave Schultz Memorial International on Sunday.
Named Outstanding Wrestler in the women’s division was Katherine Fulp-Allen of the New York AC, the champion at 53 kg/116.5 lbs. Fulp-Allen defeated Sarah Hildebrandt of the New York AC in the finals, 4-2.
Hildebrandt led 2-0 after a first period point when Fulp-Allen was put on the shot clock, and then a second period pushout. However Fulp-Allen scored a pair of two-point counter exposures, including one in the final seconds, for her four points.
“This is really, really big for me," Fulp-Allen said. "I have been wrestling at this tournament since I was a teenager and this has always been a really tough tournament. My dad and Dave (Schultz) worked together and were both Bay Area guys. This is really special,” she said.
Fulp-Allen missed the bulk of the 2015 season with an injury, and has been getting back in top form, right in time for the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City in April.
Another Dave Schultz Memorial champion who missed the 2015 season with injury was Brittany Roberts of the Sunkist Kids at 69 kg/152 lbs., who defeated Forrest Molinari of the Titan Mercury WC, 4-1 in the finals.
Molinari scored first on a pushout, then Roberts took a 2-1 lead on a counter exposure. The second period was full of action, where both wrestlers had effective counters to attacks. In the closing seconds, Roberts scored a go-behind takedown for the 4-1 win.
Roberts has recovered from two major knee injuries. She dropped down a weight class from her previous years up at 75 kg/165 lbs. to make her run at the Olympic Team.
“I am coming off of an injury so this was a great test for me," Roberts said. "I just had to maintain position, control the hands and capitalize on her mistakes. I wanted to stay on the attack and create offense which is a major advantage for me on the mat,” said Roberts.
Winning the highly-anticipated finals at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. was 2013 World Team member Victoria Anthony of the Titan Mercury WC, who edged 2008 World champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Clarissa Chun of the Sunkist Kids in the finals, 6-4.
Anthony led 5-0 in the first period, but Chun hit a four-point throw in the second period, which was followed by a quick Anthony reversal to make it 6-4. Chun tried a number of other attacks, but was unable to score again.
This was a rematch of the 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial finals, also won by Anthony. However, their most recent meeting was at the 2015 Bill Farrell International, in an event won by Chun.
“I just wrestled like myself," Anthony said. "Sometimes, I can play into the other person’s game plan and get slowed down. There's no need for that when I am wrestling my style,” said Anthony.
The other U.S. champion was college star Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids, who came from behind to edge Randi Beltz of the Titan Mercury WC, 9-8. Miracle was a WCWA women’s college national champion in 2015 for Campbellsville University
The match was tied at 4-4 at the break. Beltz scored two straight takedowns to lead 8-4. Miracle came back strong with two takedowns of her own, including one in the final 10 seconds to tie it at 8-8, which gave her the criteria. Beltz challenged the last takedown and lost, giving a final point to Miracle at the end.
“This is awesome," Miracle said. "I went to the World Team Trials and it didn't end the way I wanted. I got to avenge a loss from there today. It was awesome to see where I stand among Senior level athletes.
A pair of international athletes who are past World medalists were champions, Anastasija Grigorjeva of Latvia at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Epp Mae of Estonia at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Grigojeva, a 2014 World bronze medalist, got her offense untracked in the second period and defeated 2013 Junior World bronze medalist Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC, 12-5.
Mae, a 2015 World bronze medalist, scored a pin over 2005 World champion Iris Smith of the U.S. Army WCAP in 1:51. Smith was attempting to win a third career Dave Schultz Memorial title.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International is included in the #Road2IowaCity series of events which serve as qualifiers for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. The highest placing American wrestler in each weight class who wins a medal and has not yet qualified earned a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Based upon that, only one new athlete earned a spot in the Olympic Trials, Brittany Roberts at 69 kg/152 lbs. All of the other U.S. medalists had already qualified for Iowa City.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo.,
Women’s freestyle results
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold - Victoria Anthony (USA/Titan Mercury WC) dec. Clarissa Chun (USA/Sunkist Kids), 6-4
Bronze – Erin Golston (USA/New York AC) tech. fall Nicole Woody (USA/Terrapin WC), 10-0
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Gold - Katherine Fulp-Allen (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Sarah Hildebrandt (USA/New York AC), 4-2
Bronze – Jade Parsons (Canada) dec. Jessica Medina (USA/Sunkist Kids), 5-5
58 kg/128 lbs.
Gold - Kayla Miracle (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Randi Beltz (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 9-8
Bronze – Becka Leathers (USA/Gator OKCU RTC) dec. Sally Roberts (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 6-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
1st - Anastasija Grigorjeva (Latvia) dec. Jennifer Page (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 12-5
3rd – Amanda Hendey (USA/Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Breanne Graham (Canada), 14-2
69 kg/152 lbs.
1st - Brittany Roberts (USA/Sunkist Kids) dec. Forrest Molinari (USA/Titan Mercury WC), 4-1
3rd – Jessika Rottier (USA/Univ. of the Cumberlands) pin Katerina Lobsinger (USA/Combat Sports), 4-1
75 kg/165 lbs.
1st -. Epp Mae (Estonia) pin Iris Smith (USA/U.S. Army WCAP), 1:51
3rd – Justina DiStasio (Canada) pin Dayanara Rivera (Puerto Rico), 1:44
Outstanding Wrestler – Katherine Fulp-Allen (New York AC), 53 kg
Team Standings
1. Titan Mercury WC, 29
2. Sunkist Kids, 20
3. New Yor AC, 15
4. Canada, 11
5. U.S. Army WCAP, 8
6. (tie) Estonia and Latvia, 6
8. (tie) Puerto Rico, University of the Cumberlands, Combat Sports, Terrapin WC, 3
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