Lancaster, PA - The Bluefield State University men's and women's teams traveled to Lancaster, PA this weekend to compete at the Shorty Hitchcock Memorial Open and the Millersville Women's Open. The weekend's highlight was Survive "Vivi" Robertson's march to the 207 lb title.
The Arkansas Junior opened the tournament with a pair of sub-minute falls in the first two rounds over Bethany College (WV) and Waynesburg (PA). In the final, she jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a takedown and a turn. Her opponent got a little closer entering the second period, closing the score to 5-3, when Robertson uncorked an explosive judo-style leg sweep to break open the score 9-3. A few exchanges brought the score closer, but the championship was not to be denied, and Robertson scored her third fall of the event, and 5th on the season, in the closing seconds of the bout.
On the men's side, Ryder Rhodes and Greg Dennard lead the team with their performances, each winning numerous matches throughout the day. Rhodes had a highlight win over a NCAA Qualifier from Ithaca College (NY), and Dennard made it to the quarterfinals of a weight class filled with athletes from Division I programs.
Caitlynn Ash, a Junior from St. Albans (WV), finished in 3rd place at 124 lbs. She went 5-1 on the day, losing only to the tournament champion in the second round. On that run to the bronze on the backside of the bracket she scored four technical falls or pins. Also winning numerous bouts for the Big Blue were freshmen Emma Flanangan, Maria Gonzalez, and Charniece McClarence.
Coach Gardner's thoughts: "Another long weekend on the road. We competed Thursday in Charlotte and turned around and drove to Lancaster the next day. Our kids are tough. On the men's side, there were ACC, EIWA, MAC, and Big 10 teams competing alongside nationally ranked Div. II programs. Our guys battled, and we won a bunch of matches. These are the kinds of fights we need to prepare us for the post-season. This is an eye-opener for some of these guys. An opportunity to learn how hard they have to fight in every position in order to win at the level they aspire to."
"The athletes on the women's side did a really good job. We lost a few matches early, but we stayed composed, and brought the fight to the wrestlebacks. Emma impressed me with how tough she was, fighting through getting bloodied early on to finish in the top 5. Charniece showed similar guts in her matches. Caitlynn was her typical "mean" self, putting it to people match after match. But Vivi was her steady and consistent self. She's tough, far more nimble than you might anticipate, and she knows how to pin. She had a great run to the title. We were super proud of her efforts."
