Kansas City, MO – The No. 1 nationally ranked Indian Hills Women's Wrestling squad went on the road for the Eagle Duals hosted by Avila University on Friday. The Warriors posted a 3-1 dual record against four nationally ranked NAIA programs.
Competing at the Eagle Duals for the third consecutive year, the Warriors opened the day with a 36-11 victory over host Avila before dropping Wayland Baptist 26-19. The Warriors won their third consecutive match to open the day with a 28-16 win over Ottawa University before dropping the nightcap to the University of Saint Mary 29-20. The Warriors move to 7-2 overall in dual action this year.
Competing as the lone junior college on Friday, Indian Hills finished atop the team standings in the five-team event, the lone team to win three matches on the day. The Warriors secured the most tech falls with eight and the second-most pins with seven. As a team, the Warriors totaled 162 match points on the day.
Indian Hills saw a number of impressive individual efforts on the mat to power the Warriors to the three wins. Returning national champion Genesis Gilmore (Clarksville, TN/Montgomery Central) was dominant at 145lbs as the sophomore posted the most tech falls on the day with four. Gilmore outscored her opponents 42-2, including three 10-0 victories.
Gilmore, the 2024 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Champion at 155lbs, has allowed just two points on the year in eight matches.
Freshman standout Nevaeh Hayden (Tulsa, OK/Union) went 2-0 on the day with two solid outings. Hayden opened the day with a pin in 45 seconds against Wayland Baptist before closing out the day with a fall in 1:56 against Ottawa.
Hayden is undefeated on the year in nine matches. The freshman has not seen a match move past the first round and has totaled seven pins on the year, including five in less than a minute.
Freshman Ariah Mervilus (Virginia Beach, VA/Landstown) finished the day undefeated at 117lbs. Mervilus pinned her opening round opponent against Wayland Baptist in 1:39 before picking up a 10-0 tech fall against Ottawa.
Sophomore Amaria Ridgner (Richton Park, IL/Rich Township) finished the day with a 3-1 record with two wins at 131lbs and another victory at 138lbs. In the three victories, Ridgner picked up three tech falls, outscoring her opponents 33-0.
Eden Smith (Fort Collins, CO/Poudre) earned a pair of victories on the day for the Warriors while splitting time at both 131lbs and 138lbs. Smith earned a 6-2 decision at 138lbs vs. Avila and a pin in 1:54 vs. Ottawa.
The Warriors return to action January 15 at the Multi-Purpose Building in Centerville with an Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) clash vs. Iowa Central Community College as part of a doubleheader with the men's team.
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