Exciting slate of women's freestyle best-of-three finals set for Sunday

RALEIGH, N.C. – The 2019 Women’s Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament best-of-three finals are set for Sunday in Raleigh, N.C., with some exciting bouts expected.

Winners of tomorrow’s best-of-three matchups will receive bids to Final X, which is the last step in the World Team selection process.

One of the most compelling matchups comes at 65 kg, where 2017 Junior World champion Maya Nelson will take on 2018 Cadet World champion and Junior World runner-up Macey Kilty.

Because it’s a small bracket, Nelson received a bye to the finals. Kilty advanced to the gold-medal match, delivering a 7-2 performance against 2018 Final X runner-up Julia Salata.

At 50 kg, Erin Golston will face Victoria Anthony. Historically, Anthony has more wins over Golston, however, Golston has the most recent win, coming at the Dan Kolov International in March.

Dominique Parrish and Areana Villaescusa will meet up for the third time since April, both advancing to the 55 kg finals.

Villaescusa defeated Parrish in an early round of the U.S. Open, then last weekend, they battled it out in a best-of-three finals for the U23 World Team spot. Villaescusa won the first bout, but Parrish bounced back, winning the seconds and third matches for the U23 World Team bid.

There are a pair of U.S. Open finals rematches coming at 53 kg and 62 kg.

2019 U.S. Open champion and 2018 Cadet World bronze winner Tiare Ikei will face Open runner-up and veteran Katherine Shai at 53 kg. In Las Vegas, Ikei stormed back from a 4-0 deficit to defeat Shai, 14-4.

At 62 kg, eight-time age-group World Team member and two-time U.S. Open champion Kayla Miracle will take on Open runner-up Desiree Zavala. Miracle won with a first-period tech, 10-0.

Hawkeye Wrestling Club teammates Lauren Louive and 2019 Junior World Team member Michaela Beck will face off at 59 kg. The winner heads to Final X to face another Hawkeye Wrestling Club member and two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan.

A pair of past Senior World Team members advanced to the best-of-three finals, including Jenna Burkert and Victoria Francis.

Two-time World Teamer Burkert will compete at 57 kg against 2019 U23 World Team member Arian Carpio.

Francis, a 2017 World Team representative, will take on 2019 WCWA champion Iman Kazem at 72 kg.

At 68 kg, 2018 Final X runner-up Randi Beltz will face 2018 U23 World bronze winner Alex Glaude, and at 76 kg, 2019 U23 World Teamer Precious Bell will face 2018 National Team member Hannah Gladden.

The women’s freestyle finals are set for Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. ET live on FloWrestling.org.

2019 WORLD TEAM TRIALS CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT

at Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh, N.C.), May 18-19

Women’s freestyle best-of-three finals matchups
50 kg - Erin Golston (New York AC) vs. Victoria Anthony (Sunkist Kids)
53 kg - Tiare Ikei (EAP) vs. Katherine Shai (TMWC)
55 kg - Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids) vs. Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP)
57 kg - Jenna Burkert (Army WCAP) vs. Arian Carpio (Sunkist Kids)
59 kg - Lauren Louive (NYAC/Hawkeye WC) vs. Michaela Beck (NYAC/Hawkeye WC)
62 kg - Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids) vs. Desiree Zavala (Choker WC)
65 kg - Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids) vs. Macey Kilty (Sunkist Kids)
68 kg – Randi Beltz (Army WCAP) vs. Alex Glaude (TMWC)
72 kg - Victoria Francis (TMWC) vs. Iman Kazem (unattached)
76 kg – Precious Bell (unattached) vs. Hannah Gladden (Lion WC)

Women’s freestyle challenge finals results
53 kg: Katherine Shai (TMWC) dec. Haley Augello (Sunkist Kids), 7-3
62 kg: Desiree Zavala (Choker WC) dec. Alex Liles (Army WCAP), 9-5
68 kg: Alex Glaude (TMWC) dec. Jayden Laurent (TMWC), 5-2
76 kg: Hannah Gladden (Lion WC) dec. Kenya-Lee Sloan (Campbellsville), 10-2

Women’s freestyle semifinal results

50 kg
Erin Golston (New York AC) dec. Alleida Martinez (TMWC), 8-1
Victoria Anthony (Sunkist Kids) TF Amy Fearnside (TMWC), 10-0

53 kg
Haley Augello (Sunkist Kids) dec. Shauna Kemp (TMWC), 10-8
Katherine Shai (TMWC) TF Gracie Figueroa (TMWC), 14-3

55 kg
Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids) receives a bye
Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP) dec. Alisha Howk (Sunkist Kids), 5-0

57 kg
Jenna Burkert (Army WCAP) dec. Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids), 8-1
Arian Carpio (Sunkist Kids) TF Cameron Guerin (TMWC), 11-1

59 kg
Lauren Louive (NYAC/Hawkeye WC) dec. Abigail Nette (Lion WC), 8-6
Michaela Beck (NYAC/Hawkeye WC) dec. Lauren Mason (unattached), 5-2

62 kg
Desiree Zavala (Choker WC) TF Bri Csontos (TMWC), 10-0
Alex Liles (Army WCAP) df. Alexis Porter (NYAC), fall 1:27

65 kg
Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids) receives bye
Macey Kilty (Sunkist Kids) dec. Julia Salata (NYAC), 7-2

68 kg
Alex Glaude (TMWC) df. Skylar Grote (NYAC), fall 2:41
Jayden Laurent (TMWC) dec. Ashlynn Ortega (Team Tornado), 4-1

72 kg
Victoria Francis (TMWC) TF Nahiela Magee (unattached), 16-5
Iman Kazem (unattached) TF Rachel Watters (NYAC), 10-0

76 kg
Hannah Gladden (Lion WC) receives bye
Kenya-Lee Sloan (Campbellsville) dec. Destane Garrick (McKendree Bearcat WC), 4-4