Alma, MI – Alma College Women's Wrestling hosted Trine University and #13 Northern Michigan University on Thursday night. The Scots opened their first varsity season of competition in an electric Art Smith Arena atmosphere. The Scots were defeated on the team level, but the evening was highlighted by flashes from several members of a young Alma side.
Trine 29, Alma 20
Alma opened up with a forfeit win at 101 pounds. The Scots forfeited at 116 and 123. Trine's lineup was also missing student-athletes at 130, 170, and 191, giving Alma 15 more points. In forfeited matchups, the Scots had a 20-10 lead.
Alma's
Celeste Welch dropped the first matchup of the evening at 109 in the first period via fall (2:04). The also lost at 136, with
Jaclyn Dietz getting downed via tech fall (10-0). At 155 pounds,
Clara Holtry fought hard, working into the 2
nd period, before dropping the match via fall at the 1:30 mark.
#13 Northern Michigan 38, Alma 5
The Scots' second test of the evening was much more difficult, and came in the form of the thirteenth ranked team in the country, Northern Michigan University.
The match opened once again with a forfeit win for the home team at 101 pounds. Welch fared well against Trinity Valentine in her second match of the night. The freshman held her own, and had the lead in the second period, before her opponent was able to flip the script and secure a win via fall (2:02). With no entries at 116, the meet moved to the 123 weight class, which Alma forfeited.
From there, Northern Michigan flexed their experience, turning it into back to back first period pins, with Gonzales (1:05) and Dietz (2:23) falling victim. The Scots forfeited at 143, before Holtry was defeated via tech fall at 155 (10-0).
Mairead Brock fought hard, but was defeated via fall (1:36) in the first. Finally,
Madesyn Wheaton dropped the 191 bout via tech fall (10-0).
The night finished with a pair of exhibition bouts. The first at 225, saw Cassidee Easey go the distance, narrowly falling 6-3 as time expired.
The final matchup of the night featured Alma's 101 pounder in
MacKenzie Burger. The freshman dominated while wrestling up a weight class at 109, turning an early advantage into a near tech fall, leading 12-4 after one period. The newcomer then finished things early in the second, winning 15-4.
Top Performer
Mackenzie Burger (2-0) (Forfeit Win, Forfeit Win) (Exhibition Win via Tech Fall)
The Scots are back in action as they head to Adrian College for the Adrian Invitational on Sunday.
