USA women fall to Japan, will wrestle for bronze at World Cup in Takasaki

Tamyra Stock of the USA defeats Miwa Morikawa of Japan at the World Cup in Takasaki, Japan. Photo by Takeo Yabuki.

TAKASAKI, Japan – The U.S. women’s freestyle team wraps up day-one action of the Women’s World Cup in Takasaki, Japan, with a 2-1 record in duals, falling to Japan on Friday night, 8-2.

The American women went into the match with two great team victories, defeating Canada 8-2 and Sweden 9-1 earlier in the day.

Japan got off to a hot start picking up the first six wins, including three decisions and three technical falls. Of those falling victim to tech falls were 2017 World bronze medalist Becka Leather and two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan.

Leathers lost at 55 kg/110 lbs. to 2016 World champion and 2017 World silver medalist Mayu Mukaida, while Ragan fell at the hands of 2014 top-10 World finisher Katsuki Sakagami at 57 kg/125 lbs.

The first to get USA on the board was two-time Yarygin champion and 2017 Senior World Team member Tamyra Mensah-Stock, who defeated Miwa Morikawa at 67 kg/147 lbs.

Morikawa led 2-2 on criteria at the break, but the American kicked it up in the final 60 seconds of the match, scoring three takedowns to roll to an 8-2 win. Mensah went 3-0 on the day.

Despite a loss in the dual against Japan, Julia Salata was impressive as she held 2017 U23 World champion and 2016 Cadet World champion Ayana Gempei to a 2-1 decision at 65 kg/143 lbs.

Also joining Mensah-Stock with a perfect day was three-time World champion Adeline Gray, who is continuing to make a comeback statement after sitting out for several months after the 2016 Rio Games due to injury.

Against 2017 Senior World bronze medalist Hiroe Minagawa in the night’s final bout at 76 kg/167 lbs., Gray gave up the first point on a step out but responded shortly after with double underhooks to throw Minagawa to her back to take a 4-1 lead at the break.

At the close of the match, Gray tilted her opponent for two more points to seal a 6-1 win.

Despite her individual success, Gray is more focused on the team outcome.

“We really prepared well for this event,” Gray said. “We did everything we could leading up to this moment and it’s disappointing our performance tonight didn’t show that.”

The pursuit of Japan continues, but Gray knows it’s only a matter of time before the US reaches that milestone.

“We’re going to have that breakthrough against Japan. It’s disappointing it didn’t happen tonight but we know it’s going to happen for us,” she said.

With the loss against world powerhouse Japan, the U.S. women will move to the bronze-medal match. Coming out of Group B to challenge the Americans is Mongolia, who picked up solid wins over Romania and Belarus to advance.

The bout is set for 11 p.m. CT on Saturday and will be streamed live on Trackwrestling.com.

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
at Takasaki, Japan

Japan 8, USA 2
50 kg: Yuki Irie (Japan) def. Victoria Anthony (USA), 8-2
53 kg: Haruna Okuno (Japan) def. Sarah Hildebrandt (USA), 7-6
55 kg: Mayu Mukaida (Japan) def. Becka Leathers (USA), TF 10-0
57 kg: Katsuki Sakagami (Japan) def. Alli Ragan (USA), TF 10-0
59 kg: Yukako Kawai (Japan) def. Kayla Miracle (USA), TF 12-1
62 kg: Risako Kawai (Japan) def. Mallory Velte (USA), 5-1
65 kg: Ayana Gempei (Japan) def. Julia Salata (USA), 2-1
67 kg: Tamyra Mensah-Stock (USA) def. Miwa Morikawa (Japan), 8-2
72 kg: Masako Furuichi (Japan) def. Victoria Francis (USA), 9-2
76 kg: Adeline Gray (USA) def. Hiroe Minagawa (Japan), 6-1

Group Results

Group A
Round 1
USA 8, Canada 2
50 kg:  Victoria ANTHONY (USA) df. Jessica MACDONALD (CAN), 8-4
53 kg:  Diana WEICKER (CAN) df. Haley AUGELLO (USA), 6-1
55 kg: Becka LEATHERS (USA) df. Jade PARSONS (CAN) by Fall, 5:31 (4-0)
57 kg: Allison RAGAN (USA) df. Samantha STEWART (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 3:17
59 kg: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Emily SCHAEFER (CAN) by TF, 17-6, 1:46
62 kg:  Mallory VELTE (USA) df. Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) by TF, 11-0, 2:06
65 kg:  Julia SALATA (USA) df. Braxton STONE (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 0:30
68 kg:  Tamyra MENSAH (USA) df. Olivia DI BACCO (CAN), 5-2
72 kg:  Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Victoria FRANCIS (USA) by Fall, 1:43 (10-0)
76 kg: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Justina DI STASIO (CAN), 10-2

Japan 10, Sweden 0
50 kg: Miho IGARASHI (JPN) vs Malin LJUNGSTROEM (SWE) by Fall, 5:24 (4-0) 
53 kg:  Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df.  Linn LUNDSTROEM (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 4:27 
55 kg:  Saki IGARASHI (JPN) df. Liliana JUAREZ ANDINO (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 4:34
57 kg:  Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) df. Sara LINDBORG (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 2:30
59 kg:  Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Emma JOHANSSON by Fall, 5:13 (3-2)
62 kg:  Yurika ITO (JPN) df. Therese PERSSON (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 2:31
65 kg:  Kiwa SAKAE (JPN) df. Moa NYGREN (SWE), 4-2
68 kg:  Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Alexandra SANDAHL (SWE), 5-1
72 kg:  Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 2x-2
76 kg:  Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) df. Denise MAKOTA STROEM (SWE) by Fall, 0:03 (6-4)

Round 2
USA 9, Sweden 1
50 kg: Erin GOLSTON (USA) df. Malin LJUNGSTROEM (SWE) by Fall, 4:57 (4-0)
53 kg: Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Linn LUNDSTROEM (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 3:41
55 kg: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Liliana JUAREZ ANDINO (SWE) by Fall, 5:12 (4-0)
57 kg:  Allison RAGAN (USA) df. Sara LINDBORG (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 3:33
59 kg: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Emma JOHANSSON (SWE) by Fall, 4:57 (4-0)
62 kg: Mallory VELTE (USA) df. Therese PERSSON (SWE) by Default
65 kg: Forrest MOLINARI (USA) df. Moa NYGREN (SWE), 4-0
68 kg: Tamyra MENSAH (USA) df. Alexandra SANDAHL (SWE) by TF, 10-0, 2:40
72 kg: Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) df. Victoria FRANCIS (USA) by TF, 10-0, 0:24
76 kg: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Denise MAKOTA STROEM (SWE) by Fall, 4:47 (2-0)

Japan 9, Canada 1
50 kg: Yuki IRIE (JPN) df. Jessica MACDONALD (CAN) by Fall, 1:33 (13-2)
53 kg: Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) df. Diana WEICKER (CAN) by Fall, 0:34 (9-2)
55 kg: Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df.  Jade PARSONS (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 3:23
57 kg:  Sae NANJO (JPN) df. Samantha STEWART (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 4:39
59 kg: Yuzuru KUMANO (JPN) df. Emily SCHAEFER (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 2:10
62 kg: Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) by TF, 10-0, 4:08
65 kg: Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) df. Braxton STONE (CAN) by Default
68 kg: Sara DOSHO (JPN) df. Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), 2-1 
72 kg: Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 8-0 
76 kg: Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), 3x-3

Round 3
Canada 9, Sweden 1
50 kg: Jessica MACDONALD (CAN) df. Malin LJUNGSTROEM (SWE) by fall
53 kg: Diana WEICKER (CAN) df. Linn Matilda Daniela LUNDSTROEM (SWE) by TF, 10-0
55 kg: Jade PARSONS (CAN) df. Liliana JUAREZ ANDINO (SWE) by TF, 10-0
57 kg: Samantha STEWART (CAN) df. Sara LINDBORG (SWE), 6-3
59 kg: Emily SCHAEFER (CAN) df. Emma JOHANSSON (SWE) by fall
62 kg: Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) df. Therese PERSSON (SWE), injury default
65 kg: Moa NYGREN (SWE) df. Braxton STONE (CAN), injury default
68 kg: Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) df. Alexandra SANDAHL (SWE) by TF, 10-0
72 kg: Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Anna FRANSSON (SWE), 4-4
76 kg: Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Denise MAKOTA STROEM (SWE) by fall

Group B
Round 1
China 9, Mongolia 1
50 kg: SUN Yanan (CHN) df. Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) by VSU, 10-0
53 kg: Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) df. OUYANG Junling (CHN) by VFA, 8-7
55 kg: ZHANG Qi  (CHN) df. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL), 6-5
57 kg: RONG Ningning (CHN) df. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL), 9-1
59 kg: PEI Xingru (CHN) df. Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL), 3x-3
62 kg: LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) by Default
65 kg: TANG Chuying (CHN) df. Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL), 6-4
68 kg: ZHOU Feng (CHN) df. Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL) by TF, 16-5, 1:11
72 kg: HAN Yue (CHN) df. Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) by TF, 15-4, 1:50
76 kg: ZHOU Qian (CHN) df. Chantsalnyamaa AMGALANBAATAR (MGL) by TF, 14-0, 1:25

Belarus 7, Romania 3
50 kg: Alina VUC (ROU) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR) by Fall, 0:10 (14-7) 
53 kg: Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Estera TAMADUIANU DOBRE (ROU) by Fall, 4:30 (9-0)
55 kg: Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Simona PRICOB (ROU) by Fall, 0:26 (10-0)
57 kg: Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) df. Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU) by Fall, 4:21 (4-0)
59 kg: Katsiaryna HANCHAR YANUSHKEVICH (BLR) by Forfeit
62 kg: Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 3-0
65 kg: Krystsina FEDARASHKA (BLR) df. Adina POPESCU (ROU), 1x-1
68 kg: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR), 6-0 
72 kg: Catalina AXENTE (ROU) by Forfeit
76 kg: Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) by Forfeit

Round 2
China 10, Romania 0
50 kg: ZHU Jiang (CHN) df. Emilia Alina VUC (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 3:38 
53 kg: OUYANG Junling (CHN) df. Estera TAMADUIANU DOBRE (ROU) by Fall, 2:17 (11-0)  
55 kg: ZHANG Qi (CHN) df. Simona PRICOB (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 1:39 
57 kg: YANG Nan (CHN) df. Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU), 8-4
59 kg: Lingling BAO (CHN) by Forfeit
62 kg: LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 3-2
65 kg: TANG Chuying (CHN) df. Adina Elena POPESCU (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 4:43 
68 kg: ZHOU Feng (CHN) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) by Fall, 2:29 (11-0) 
72 kg: WANG Juan (CHN) df. Catalina AXENTE (ROU) by TF, 11-0, 4:53 
76 kg: Paliha PALIHA (CHN) by Forfeit

Mongolia 6, Belarus 4
50 kg: Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), 10-6 
53 kg: Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL), 7-6
55 kg: Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) df. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) 5x-5 
57 kg: Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) df. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL), 2-1 
59 kg: Shoovdor BAATARJAV df. Katsiaryna HANCHAR YANUSHKEVICH (BLR) by TF, 14-3, 1:48 
62 kg: Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) by Fall, 4:11 (6-11)
65 kg: Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) df. Krystsina FEDARASHKA (BLR) by TF, 10-0, 4:32
68 kg: Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL) df. Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR) by Fall, 1:16 (11-2) 
72 kg: Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) by Forfeit
76 kg: Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Chantsalnyamaa AMGALANBAATAR (MGL), 4-1