2023 DI Duals Series: Life University vs Campbellsville - Women's

Match Notes: Life Topples Campbellsville In NAIA Grudge Match

Match Notes: Life Topples Campbellsville In NAIA Grudge Match

All the action from the battle of NAIA women's wrestling powerhouses, Life vs Campbellsville, updated in real-time on January 13 from Austin, Texas.

Jan 13, 2023 by Andrew Spey
Match Notes: Life Topples Campbellsville In NAIA Grudge Match

Live from Austin,! Life and Campbellsville both placed at the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals. Now this NAIA women's rivalry will be renewed in central Texas, and we're here to bring you all the action with real-time updates in our world-renowned blog!

Prospective Matchups

101: Devyn Gomez (Life) vs Gabby Mederios (Campbellsville)

109: Jasmine Godinez (Life) vs Kelsey Bilz (Campbellsville)

116: Kory Phillips (Life) vs Shea Reisel (Campbellsville)

123: Olivia Mottley (Life) vs Jackie Ghent (Campbellsville)

130: Zaynah McBryde (Life) vs Angie Vitiritti (Campbellsville)

136: Sarah Savidge (Life) vs Espi Dorantes (Campbellsville)

143: Jamilah McBryde (Life) vs Emma Walker (Campbellsville)

155: Latifah McBryde (Life) vs Kendra Thompson (Campbellsville)

170: Caitlin Cardenas (Life) vs Sierra Chavez (Campbellsville)

191: Catherine Palmieri (Life) vs Liliana Vergara (Campbellsville)

And in case anyone gets confused, all these matches will be in freestyle, not folkstyle. So, you know, keep that in mind. 

101: Devyn Gomez (Life) vs Gabby Mederios (Campbellsville)

1st period: Good action from both wrestlers but no scores after the 90 seconds and Mederios gets hit with a caution. Gomez continues to attack and secures a takedown off a double leg. Gomez follows that up with an inside trip and another double leg to run the score up to 6-0 before they get to the break. 

2nd period: Gomez continues to fire off attacks. Mederios goes for a headlock but she slips off. No harm, no foul and it's back to neutral, still 6-0. Gomez answers with a thunderous feet-to-back double leg and that'll do it! The four-pointer gives Gomez a 10-0 technical superiority and Life wins the first bout!

Gomez 10, Mederios 0

Bouts: Life 1, Campbellsville 0; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 4, Campbellsville 0

109: Jasmine Godinez (Life) vs Kelsey Bilz (Campbellsville)

1st period: Action right off the bat as Godinez hits a slide by but Bilz defends. A low shot from Godinez is then defended by Bilz. Repeat the last sequence, it's still 0-0 but Godinez has been the more offensive wrestler. About a minute into the bout Godinez hits a nice fireman's carry. Bilz avoids landing in danger but Godinez keeps working for an exposure, then covers and converts a high-gut wrench for another two-point exposure. Godinez goes right back to the fireman's for another two point score, though Bilz avoids giving up any more points. Godinez keeps shooting but on the last exchange of the period, Godinez is in on a single, but it's Bilz who sits the corner and locks in a side cradle. Bilz gets two for the takedown, then hauls Godinez over for two more exposure points. It's 6-4 at the midway point.

2nd period: Godinez wastes little time and goes head hunting right off the whistle. Headlock sends Bilz to the mat for four big points and a 10-4 lead. Bilz battles back but Godinez hits a wrist snap to send Godinez to the mat and picks up two more points. It's 12-4 with time running out for Bilz. Nearly a score as time runs out but that's how it ends, 12-4 victory for Godinez, and Life wins two in a row. 

Godinez 12, Bilz 4

Bouts: Life 2, Campbellsville 0; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 7, Campbellsville 1

116: Kory Phillips (Life) vs Shea Reisel (Campbellsville)

1st period: Reisel in on a single leg early but Phillips sprawls, throws a cross-face and spins behind for the first score of the bout. Phillips up 2-0. Reisel answers with a fireman's carry that lands for four points and Reisel takes the lead, 4-2. Solid action but neither wrestler is able to put any more points on the board and we hit the midway point.

2nd period: Reisel goes back to the carry but Phillips defends and then fights for the go-behind to tie it up, criteria in Reisel's favor though. Reisel also fights off an armbar from Phillips and they're back to neutral, 4-4. The next minute is a brutal back-and-forth as Phillips desperately looks for an opportunity to regain the lead. Her aggressiveness leads to a step out point for Reisel, however. Another takedown in short time makes it 7-4 officially and Campbellsville has won their first bout the dual!

Reisel 7, Phillips 4

Bouts: Life 2, Campbellsville 1; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 8, Campbellsville 4

123: Olivia Mottley (Life) vs Jackie Ghent (Campbellsville)

1st period: Both wrestlers exchange shots. About 45 seconds in Ghent finds herself in short offense and works her way behind for two points. A powerful gut wrench later and it's 4-0, Ghent in the lead. Mottley answers by deftly maneuvering Ghent to the boundary and then forcing a step out to get on the board. Ghent then steps in for a trip from collar ties but Mottley steps out of danger and throws an inside trip of her own that catches Ghent's heel and sends her down to the mat. It's a four-point throw and Mottley starts adjusting for the pin. A high bridge saves Ghent and she'll belly out and escape the period trailing by a point. Mottley leads 5-4 and has a four-point move for criteria purposes should that come into play. 

2nd period: Ghent hits a swing single early in the period but Mottley defends, then drives Ghent out of bounds for another point. It's 6-4, over 2 minutes remaining in the bout. A furious exchange where both wrestlers came close to scoring from a seatbelt whizzer situation but their tenacity kept the scores where they are. Another low shot from Ghent, she tries to come out the back door but Mottley defends and the sequence is stalemated. Still 6-4, Ghent needs more than 2 points to overcome the criteria advantage for Mottley. Less than a minute remaining.  Ghent in on a double but can't finish, Mottley defending a couple of peak-outs. Another shot and Mottley almost gets a go behind. Ghent refuses to quit but Mottley holds center and doesn't give up any more points. Mottley earns a hard-fought victory in what may prove to be a pivotal bout!

Mottley 6, Ghent 4

Bouts: Life 3, Campbellsville 1; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 11, Campbellsville 5

130: Zaynah McBryde (Life) vs Angie Vitiritti (Campbellsville)

1st period: Zaynah was just in Who's #1 last September, however, we made an exception for graduating high schoolers who normally are not eligible to participate as Zaynah was just 16 years-old when she began matriculating at Life University in the fall. With the match underway, the wrestlers find themselves near the boundary. Vitiritti shucks McBryde by and goes behind. They hit the mat, but are they out of bounds yet? Two is awarded for Vitiritti but McBryde and Coach Flavin challenge. Upon review, the call stands, and Vitiritti gets another point for the failed challenge. It's 3-0. McBryde continues to apply pressure. Vitiritti was forced to circle in but no more scores and we hit the break, still 3-0.

2nd period: McBryde drops down on a single. She'll settle for one on the step out but it's her first point of the match. A headlock from Vitiritti slips and they're back up, no scores. Throw-by from Vitiritti and that one lands, she leads 5-1. Another headlock with about 90 seconds left in the bout is stopped by McBryde. Vitiritti keeps trying to make the move work but McBryde counters so this time she'll score two on the exchange. It's 5-3. McBryde in on a shot, stalemated, 30 seconds to go. A takedown would do it for McBryde. 20 seconds. McBryde keeps attacking but Vitiritti only added another throw-by before time expires. Vitiritti gets the dub!

Vitiritti 7, McBryde 3

Bouts: Life 3, Campbellsville 2; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 12, Campbellsville 8

136: Sarah Savidge (Life) vs Espi Dorantes (Campbellsville)

1st period: Right off the bat a big double down to the mat with authority for four points for Sarah Savidge. Two gut wrenches later and it's 10-0 as the Life University wrestler is living up to her name! 10-0 clean sheet tech for Savidge!

Savidge 10, Dorantes 0

Bouts: Life 4, Campbellsville 2; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 16, Campbellsville 8

143: Jamilah McBryde (Life) vs Emma Walker (Campbellsville)

1st period: The second of three McBryde sisters in Life's lineup takes the mat. McBryde takes ground off the whistle. Walker tries to whizzer-kick/uchimata McBryde at the boundary. It'll work for one point for Walker an the early lead. Two-on-one tie for McBryde and she outside trips Walker for a takedown and the lead. back in neutral McBryde stays on the offensive, scoring two takedowns by fighting through Walker's ties with sound positioning and technique. McBryde now leads 6-1 late in the first. Walker hits an opportunistic lat-whip in the next exchange to score a feet-to-back, although McBryde counters with a reversal to make it 8-5 going into the break after an exciting three minutes of action. 

2nd period: Walker pressures forward but McBryde throws her by again and scores another two to extend her lead back up to 5. It's 10-5 with a little over two minutes to go. Walker continues to try to make something happen. She's in on a single, McBryde steps over but Walker holds on to her heel and climbs her way up for a takedown. It's 10-7 with less than a minute to go. Another furious scramble gets stalemated. 38 on the clock. A flurry at the boundary, call is grounded but the table judge and chairperson overrule and its 12-7 with just 7 seconds left. McBryde will hold on to win and Life is starting to pull ahead.

McBryde 12, Walker 7

Bouts: Life 5, Campbellsville 2; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 19, Campbellsville 9

155: Latifah McBryde (Life) vs Kendra Thompson (Campbellsville)

1st period: Our third McBryde sister of the evening. There's a skirmish on the boundary. McBryde is awarded two but Campbellsville head coach Miracle wants it reviewed, saying Thompson only gave up a single step-out point. Ruling on the mat is overturned and it's 1-0 McBryde. No doubt about the next exchange, as McBryde muscles through a whizzer defense and collections two more points to make it 3-0. Next sequence is a throw-by + back trip and Thompson goes crashing to the mat. Looked like clear feet-to-back but only two is awarded and Life doesn't challenge so it's 5-0. Another takedown on a go-behind beefore the period ends makes it 7-0 McBryde. 

2nd period: McBryde continues to feast on underhooks and scores another takedown. It's 9-0 with over two and a half minutes to go. McBryde fights through one last whizzer and that'll clinch the match and the dual for Life! An 11-0 tech-fall for Latifah McBryde!

McBryde 11, Thompson 0

Bouts: Life 6, Campbellsville 2; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 23, Campbellsville 9

170: Caitlin Cardenas (Life) vs Liliana Vergara (Campbellsville)

1st period: Campbellsville had both Vergara and Chavez as potential 170-pounders. Vergara gets the nod today. Upperbody flurry right off the whistle and Vergara pancakes Cardenas to the mat. Cardenas fights off her back but Vergara works another armbar for a two-point exposure and it's 6-0 just like that. A step out makes it 7-0. Cardenas shoots in but Vergara catches her and pancakes her back down to the mat. The official gets confirmation and slaps the mat for the fall! Campbellsville gets a little momentum back on their side!

Vergara pins Cardenas

Bouts: Life 6, Campbellsville 3; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 23, Campbellsville 14

191: Catherine Palmieri (Life) vs Sierra Chavez (Campbellsville)

1st period: A tactical start to the final bout of the dual. After about 110 seconds it'll be Chavez who goes on the clock first, still 0-0. Chavez has to score in 30 seconds or she will concede a point to Palmieri. If Palmieri scores, however, the clock keeps ticking. Only a score from Chavez will erase it. And neither wrestler scores so a point for Palmieri. 1-0 at the break.

2nd period: Not much in the way of committed shots, though the hand fighting has been busy. Now it's Palmieri who goes on the clock. Snap down go-behind and Palmieri beats the clock to make it 3-0. 1:41 left on the clock. Chavez keeps attacking but she won't be able to get through Palmieri's defenses. And that's it, Palmieri takes it 3-0 and Life takes the dual, seven matches to three!

Palmieri 3, Chavez 0

Bouts: Life 7, Campbellsville 3; Classification points (only used for tiebreakers): Life 26, Campbellsville 14