MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon Women’s Wrestling team kicked off the new year with strong performances at the Mat Cat Open, hosted by Linfield University on Sunday. By the end of the day, four Mountaineers stood proudly on the podium, including a runner-up finish and multiple top-three finishes.
In the 131 pound division, Makenna Duran had an impressive tournament, earning a well-deserved 2nd place finish. After opening up with a bye, Duran quickly pinned her first opponent in just 42 seconds. She followed up with a tough 12-9 decision victory over Delijah Diego from Pacific University. In the finals, Duran fell 11-0 to Umpqua’s Bella Ngo, but her strong performance throughout the tournament earned her the silver.
At 160 pounds, Paige Allen battled her way to a 3rd place finish. After a first round loss to Umpqua’s Arianna Mauch, Allen bounced back with a second round default win before pinning Southwestern Oregon’s Alexandrea Estala in just 34 seconds. In her final matchup, Allen secured a dominant 10-0 technical fall victory over teammate Lizzy Hodges…