Ivarra Competes into Second Day at MVC Open

MARSHALL, Mo. – Competing in her first collegiate event, freshman Aaliyah Ivarra had the best finish of any Eagle, wrestling into the second day and ultimately placing fifth in the new 235 bracket at the Missouri Valley Open late this week.

MVC's massive annual event runs a lot like how college wrestling's national championships work: it's a two-day ordeal where the fields get pared down over the first day and anyone that's left standing returns to compete on day two. With some variation depending on the number of wrestlers in a weight class, all that's left on day two are matches to decide final placements, and Ivarra made it to that stage on her first attempt.

Ivarra began her tournament run on Friday by pinning Cynthia Ellis of Iowa Central Community College in just 20 seconds. She lost her next match but rebounded to win her next two, both by pin, to advance to the consolation semifinals. She fell there but returned Saturday for the fifth place match, where Asia Young, who was one of the wrestlers to defeat her earlier in the tournament, forfeited, giving Ivarra fifth place with her fourth victory of the weekend.

Savvy wrestling fans will notice that Ivarra's bracket, 235, is not a standard bracket in collegiate women's wrestling. It's being implemented in some tournaments throughout the year as something of a trial run as different weight classes – heavy and light – are evaluated for future use at various levels of the sport. It was more or less an exhibition bracket at this week's MVC Open, but it was certainly a real tournament for all involved, and Avila got a placer in it.

Elsewhere across the field, Kirsten Bruegel won both of her first two matches on Friday at 155 to go 2-2 in the event, and five Eagles also won a match: Jada Meredith, Shannon Briggs, Erma Williams, Jaclyn Riedinger,  and Markayla Lottie.

Avila women's wrestling will now have some time off from competition for the Thanksgiving holiday next week before conference play kicks off with a vengeance on November 30: then, the Avila wrestling teams will welcome Ottawa to Mabee Fieldhouse for a big-time evening showdown. The women kick off the doubleheader at 7 PM with the men to follow at 8; you can watch all the action live on the Avila Sports Network.