Olympians Augello and Pirozhkova among finalists in Women’s World Team Trials on Friday night
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Olympian Haley Augello takes down Deanna Betterman in her 53 kg semifinals at the Women’s World Team Trials. Photo by Larry Slater.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Championship Finals Series has been set for four weight classes at the Women’s World Team Trials on Friday morning at the South Point Arena.
A pair of 2016 Olympians earned spots in the best-of-three Championship Series, two-time Olympian Elena Pirozhkova (New York, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC) at 69 kg/152 lbs. and her 2016 teammate Haley Augello (Lockport, Ill./New York AC) at 53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Augello, seeded No. 2, will face three-time World Team member and No. 1 seed Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) in the finals series. Augello was an Olympian down at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. last year, and moved up in weight this season.
“I feel good. Obviously, 53 is an easier cut than 48. I feel strong. I feel good out there. I always plan on whatever weight I go, I dominate. That is the plan when I get out there,” said Augello.
Conder was dominant in a 12-0 technical fall over 2015 Cadet World champion Ronna Heaton (Brookings, S.D./Sunkist Kids) in the semifinals.
“I felt like I am wrestling pretty well, and I am trying some new techniques I am working on. I am grateful for my team, to be part of WCAP, and to be able to work with the men and women. They are always pushing us to become the best. We are always trying to build each other up and make us the top team we possibly can,” said Conder.
Augello was also able to open up her offense in defeating two-time World Team member Deanna Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 12-2
Pirozhkova, a 2012 World champion and four-time World medalist, will face 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion and 2017 Yarygin Grand Prix champion Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/Titan Mercury) in the finals series. It will be a rematch of the finals of the 2017 U.S. Open, won by Pirozhkova.
Mensah, seeded No. 2, scored a 10-0 technical fall over Rachel Watters (Ankeny, Iowa/New York AC) in her semifinal. Pirozhkova pinned Niauni Hill (Oakland, Calif./Lindenwood-Belleville) in 1:57 her semifinal.
“I am coming in with different technique. I have a small goal in my head, where I am constantly moving my feet. When I move my feet, I am aggressive. When I am aggressive, I am scoring,” said Mensah.
At 63 kg/138.75 lbs., the top two seeds advanced to the Championship Series, U.S. Open champion Jennifer Page (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) and two-time WCWA national champion Mallory Velte (Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC).
Page pinned Maya Nelson (Denver, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in her semifinals in 4:32.
“I gave up a couple of points I shouldn’t have, but I was able to get to my offense pretty well,” said Page. “I have wrestled (Velte) a couple of times recently. I have to have the same wrestling I always have. Scoring points, and controlling the ties,” said Page.
Velte scored a second-period takedown to edge 2014 World Team member Jenna Burkert (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), 2-1 in the semifinals.
“Her style is a little hard for me to wrestle. It took me awhile to get the two (points). She is real hard to score on and her hands are really heavy. She is strong in certain positions. I don’t know if I had a game plan, but I probably should have,” she said.
At 60 kg/132 lbs., 2016 World silver medalist Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) advanced directly to the best-of-three Championship Series, based upon her medal-winning performance at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. She did not compete in the morning session.
Ragan will face the Challenge Tournament champion Francesca Giorgio (West Lawn, Pa./Simon Fraser) in the Championship Series. Giorgio earned the right to face Ragan by winning the Challenge Tournament, stopping Nicole Joseph (Camarillo, Calif./King University), 3-0.
“I started out a little slow. It has been a little while since I competed. I came in and was hoping to make it to the finals and wrestle Alli. I am super excited that I have an opportunity to wrestle her,” said Giorgio.
The championship finals best-of-three series will begin at 6:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At Las Vegas, Nev.
Championship Series pairings
53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) vs. Francesca Giorgio, West Lawn, Pa. (Simon Fraser)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
69 kg/152 lbs. - Elena Pirozhkova, New York, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC)
Challenge Tournament Final result
60 kg/132 lbs. – Francesca Giorgio, West Lawn, Pa. (Simon Fraser) dec. Nicole Joseph, Camarillo, Calif. (King University), 3-0
Challenge Tournament Semifinals results
53 kg/116.5 lbs. –
Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) tech. fall Ronna Heaton, Brookings, S.D. (Sunkist Kids), 12-0
Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC) tech. fall Deanna Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 12-2
60 kg/132 lbs. –
Nicole Joseph, Camarillo, Calif. (King University) dec. Carla Ponce, El Paso, Texas (Aires WC), 6-5
Francesca Giorgio, West Lawn, Pa. (Simon Fraser) dec. Koral Sugiyama, Pocatello, Idaho (Campbellsville WC), 1:52
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Maya Nelson, Denver, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 4:32
Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 2-1
69 kg/152 lbs. –
Elena Pirozhkova, New York, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Niauni Hill, Oakland, Calif. (Lindenwood-Belleville), 1:57
Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Rachel Watters, Ankeny, Iowa (New York AC), 10-0, 3:27
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Championship Finals Series has been set for four weight classes at the Women’s World Team Trials on Friday morning at the South Point Arena.
A pair of 2016 Olympians earned spots in the best-of-three Championship Series, two-time Olympian Elena Pirozhkova (New York, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC) at 69 kg/152 lbs. and her 2016 teammate Haley Augello (Lockport, Ill./New York AC) at 53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Augello, seeded No. 2, will face three-time World Team member and No. 1 seed Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) in the finals series. Augello was an Olympian down at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. last year, and moved up in weight this season.
“I feel good. Obviously, 53 is an easier cut than 48. I feel strong. I feel good out there. I always plan on whatever weight I go, I dominate. That is the plan when I get out there,” said Augello.
Conder was dominant in a 12-0 technical fall over 2015 Cadet World champion Ronna Heaton (Brookings, S.D./Sunkist Kids) in the semifinals.
“I felt like I am wrestling pretty well, and I am trying some new techniques I am working on. I am grateful for my team, to be part of WCAP, and to be able to work with the men and women. They are always pushing us to become the best. We are always trying to build each other up and make us the top team we possibly can,” said Conder.
Augello was also able to open up her offense in defeating two-time World Team member Deanna Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 12-2
Pirozhkova, a 2012 World champion and four-time World medalist, will face 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion and 2017 Yarygin Grand Prix champion Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/Titan Mercury) in the finals series. It will be a rematch of the finals of the 2017 U.S. Open, won by Pirozhkova.
Mensah, seeded No. 2, scored a 10-0 technical fall over Rachel Watters (Ankeny, Iowa/New York AC) in her semifinal. Pirozhkova pinned Niauni Hill (Oakland, Calif./Lindenwood-Belleville) in 1:57 her semifinal.
“I am coming in with different technique. I have a small goal in my head, where I am constantly moving my feet. When I move my feet, I am aggressive. When I am aggressive, I am scoring,” said Mensah.
At 63 kg/138.75 lbs., the top two seeds advanced to the Championship Series, U.S. Open champion Jennifer Page (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) and two-time WCWA national champion Mallory Velte (Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC).
Page pinned Maya Nelson (Denver, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in her semifinals in 4:32.
“I gave up a couple of points I shouldn’t have, but I was able to get to my offense pretty well,” said Page. “I have wrestled (Velte) a couple of times recently. I have to have the same wrestling I always have. Scoring points, and controlling the ties,” said Page.
Velte scored a second-period takedown to edge 2014 World Team member Jenna Burkert (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), 2-1 in the semifinals.
“Her style is a little hard for me to wrestle. It took me awhile to get the two (points). She is real hard to score on and her hands are really heavy. She is strong in certain positions. I don’t know if I had a game plan, but I probably should have,” she said.
At 60 kg/132 lbs., 2016 World silver medalist Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) advanced directly to the best-of-three Championship Series, based upon her medal-winning performance at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. She did not compete in the morning session.
Ragan will face the Challenge Tournament champion Francesca Giorgio (West Lawn, Pa./Simon Fraser) in the Championship Series. Giorgio earned the right to face Ragan by winning the Challenge Tournament, stopping Nicole Joseph (Camarillo, Calif./King University), 3-0.
“I started out a little slow. It has been a little while since I competed. I came in and was hoping to make it to the finals and wrestle Alli. I am super excited that I have an opportunity to wrestle her,” said Giorgio.
The championship finals best-of-three series will begin at 6:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S WORLD TEAM TRIALS
At Las Vegas, Nev.
Championship Series pairings
53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) vs. Francesca Giorgio, West Lawn, Pa. (Simon Fraser)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
69 kg/152 lbs. - Elena Pirozhkova, New York, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC)
Challenge Tournament Final result
60 kg/132 lbs. – Francesca Giorgio, West Lawn, Pa. (Simon Fraser) dec. Nicole Joseph, Camarillo, Calif. (King University), 3-0
Challenge Tournament Semifinals results
53 kg/116.5 lbs. –
Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) tech. fall Ronna Heaton, Brookings, S.D. (Sunkist Kids), 12-0
Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC) tech. fall Deanna Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 12-2
60 kg/132 lbs. –
Nicole Joseph, Camarillo, Calif. (King University) dec. Carla Ponce, El Paso, Texas (Aires WC), 6-5
Francesca Giorgio, West Lawn, Pa. (Simon Fraser) dec. Koral Sugiyama, Pocatello, Idaho (Campbellsville WC), 1:52
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Maya Nelson, Denver, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 4:32
Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 2-1
69 kg/152 lbs. –
Elena Pirozhkova, New York, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Niauni Hill, Oakland, Calif. (Lindenwood-Belleville), 1:57
Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Rachel Watters, Ankeny, Iowa (New York AC), 10-0, 3:27
