INDIANOLA — A pair of victories from
Esther Belzer (senior, 138 pounds, Kalona, Hillcrest Academy) allowed the Central College women's wrestler to advance to the second day of the NCAA Women's Wrestling Region V Championships Friday.
Central is in 14th place of the team standings with 6 points. The University of Iowa leads the way with 85 points.
Belzer won her opening match against Julia Chambers of Quincy University (Ill.) in a 9-7 decision. After losing by technical fall against the No. 2 seed from Augustana (Ill.), she bounced back by pinning Abigail Jutrzonka of Carthage College (Wis.) at the 2:04 mark.
She'll wrestle in Consolation Round 3 on Saturday against Savannah Freifeld of Buena Vista University.
Dakota Cornell (freshman, Shellsburg, Vinton-Shellsburg HS) gave Central another individual win after pinning Josie Hosea of Carthage College (Wis.) in 31 seconds during the first round of consolations at 160 pounds. Her victory was sandwiched around a pair of losses.
Four other Central wrestlers competed in their first NCAA regional action:
Julia Kanne (sophomore, 131 pounds Auburn, Carroll HS), Gracie Pattison (freshman, 110 pounds, Rossville, BHRA HS), Cameron Halbur (freshman, 145 pounds, Rock Valley) and
Laura Totty (freshman, 180 pounds, American Canyon, Calif.) all went 0-2 againsta talented field of wrestlers from NCAA Divisions I, II and III.