WPU Puts Exclamation Point on Regular Season with Huge Showing at Baker Open

Baldwin City, Kan.--Headlined by eight finalists, the William Penn women's wrestling team had a memorable day at the Baker Jimmy May Open Saturday.

The Statesmen came away with just one title, but also had both finalists at three separate weights (103, 124, and 138) and chose to double forfeit so no winner was declared.

Christianah Ogunsanya (Fr., Akure, Nigeria, Kinesiology) was perfect at 117 pounds Saturday, winning all five of her matches by a combined score of 50-0.  Her gold came as she once again defeated No. 2 Camille Fournier of Texas Wesleyan 10-0 in the finals; it is the second time she has beaten Fournier this year.

At 103 pounds, Lily Zapata (Fr., Lewisville, Texas, Sociology) owned a 2-0 mark with two technical falls to reach the title matchup, while Olivia Atkins (So., St. Peters, Mo., Nursing) also won both of her bouts (one by technical fall) to be a finalist.

At 124 pounds, Joanna Vanderwood (Sr., Graham, Wash., Nursing) posted four victories (two falls, two technical falls), while Catherine Steinkamp (Sr., Quincy, Ill., Exercise Science) took care of her four opponents, including having a pair of technical falls and one fall.

Esther Kolawole (Fr., Akure, Nigeria, Kinesiology) and Kendall Bostelman (Jr., Napoleon, Ohio, Exercise Science) were also set to meet in the 138-pound finals.  Kolawole had two technical falls and two falls (occurred in a combined 37 seconds).  Bostelman's 4-0 path included two technical falls and one fall.

Devin Patton (Jr., Plano, Texas, Business Management) was able to make it the championship round as well, but came up short to No. 3 Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Missouri Valley).  Patton finished 4-1 with three technical falls and a fall.

Isabelle Hawley (Jr., Winchester, Calif., Sociology) was not a finalist, but she did ensure the navy and gold captured the top three positions at 138 pounds.  The junior, whose lone loss came to Bostelman, ended up third at 4-1 with two technical falls and two falls.

145-pounder Naida Abdijanovic (Jr., St. Louis, Mo., Biology) matched Ogunsanya with five victories (5-2, three falls) to take fifth place.

Kylie Bustos (Jr., Amarillo, Texas, Nursing) was next with a 3-2 record (two falls, one technical fall) at 117 pounds, while 131-pounder Grecia Martinez (So., Horizon City, Texas, Industrial Engineering) (one fall), 160-pounder Alexa Wolf (Fr., Rogers, Ark., Business Management) (one technical fall, one fall), and 207-pounder Phoebe Burt (Sr., Iowa City, Iowa, Sociology) (one fall) all won two matches at the Open.

103-pounder Teya Garner (So., San Antonio, Texas, Biology), 131-pounder Bronwyn Brenneman (Jr., Parnell, Iowa, Biology, Biology), 145-pounder Maeley Elsbury (Fr., Chelsea, Iowa, Undecided), and 160-pounder Kylee Eastwood (Jr., Fontana, Kan., Biology) each pinned one foe Saturday, while 180-pounder Faith Barrett (Fr., Texico, Ill., Elementary Education) claimed one win via technical fall as well.

"I am extremely proud of how our ladies competed today," Head Coach Jake Kadel said.  "We did a really good job of scoring points and putting things together in our matches.  It is exciting to see everything kind of coming together; we are gaining momentum heading into the conference championship, just as we had hoped."

Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa on Saturday, March 1 to host the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship at 9 a.m.