Avila Splits Duals against Friends, Grand View

WICHITA, Kan. and DES MOINES, Iowa – Avila women's wrestling faced two very different foes in dual competition this week and earned two very different results: the (RV) Eagles earned a dominant victory over KCAC foe (RV) Friends on Wednesday before suffering a loss against (4) Grand View on Friday.

To say the Eagles' two opponents this week were different would be about as big of an understatement as possible. The Falcons, a third-year program like the Eagles, are regrouping this year under new leadership while the Vikings are once are once again one of the very best teams and programs in both men's and women's wrestling in the NAIA. Still, with not many competitions left before the conference tournament, these duals represented more opportunities for many more Eagles to see valuable mat time as they angle for spots in Avila's top 12.

First off, the Eagles faced off against the Falcons in a KCAC doubleheader on Wednesday night in Wichita, where Avila won seven of the nine contested weights to cruise past Friends for the second time in the month of January. Not including a double forfeit at 109, Avila won the first four contested matches to jump out to a an 18-0 lead, and Friends' only victories came via forfeit at 170 and from their nationally-ranked superstar Gianna Moreno at 136.

Other than that, it was all Eagles. Asha Pearson started the night with a 10-0 shutout at 101, and both Zoey Mzeru (116) and Julia Datus (123) delivered pins before Jaclyn Riedinger (130) also authored a 10-0 tech fall to all but lock up the dual for the visitors. After Moreno's win at 136, the Eagles then got a decision from Sara Soureshjani (143), a tech from Susana Mondragon (155) and a decision from Shannon Briggs (191), closing out an emphatic 28-10 in Avila's final KCAC dual of the season.

Just about 48 hours later, the Eagles were back in action against a fearsome foe. Grand View is nationally ranked in just about every spot in the lineup and was looking to put on a show on Senior Night. The Vikings won eight of the ten bouts and won the dual handily, but the Eagles put up a strong fight in just about every bout and did not make things easy for the heavily favored Vikings.

Avila's victories came courtesy of Markayla Lottie, who defended her national ranking with a 13-0 tech fall over the unranked Brynn Miller at 116, and freshman Shannon Briggs, who earned Avila's biggest win of the year by taking down Grand View's Olivia Brown, ranked the No. 3 wrestler in the NAIA in her weight class, with a pin in less than a minute at 191 in the final countable match of the night. It was by far the highest-ranked opponent any Eagle – men's or women's – has defeated this year, and will surely help Briggs' spot in the national picture. Grand View won the other eight matches to win the dual 38-9.

Avila women's wrestling will hit the mat again on Saturday in the Eagles' final open event of the regular season, the Grand View Open. Action starts at 9 AM; you can find details on how to watch and follow along on our social media channels as well as our website, avilaathletics.com.