Louisville, KY – The seventh-ranked University of the Cumberlands women's wrestling team defeated fourth-ranked Life and fifth-ranked Campbellsville to earn a fifth place finish at the NWCA National Duals Saturday afternoon.  The Patriots opened the day with a 21-21 win over Life, before defeating the Tigers 24-20 in the fifth-place match. 

13^th-ranked Jessica Rodriguez got things started against Life with a 4-3 decision over fifth-ranked Faye Cherrier to give UC a 3-1 lead.  Sixth-ranked Autumn Gordon followed with an 11-1 tech fall to extend the lead to 7-2.  Life won the next two matches, before sixth-ranked Bridgette Duty notched a 10-0 tech fall over 11^th-ranked Aysia Cortez at 130 lbs. to put Cumberlands in front 11-9.  The Running Eagles won the next three matches with a pin and two decisions to take a 20-13 lead. Cumberlands rallied as 16^th-ranked Payton Rigert knocked off sixth-ranked Stephanie Pantoja by criteria to cut the deficit to 21-16.  Seventh-ranked Jesse Kirby pinned seventh-ranked Jordan Nelson at the 2:44 mark for the 21-21 final, however the Patriots advanced on criteria.

It was a similar story against Campbellsville as Rodriguez defeated 12^th-ranked Katelin Barnett with a 10-0 tech fall for the 4-0 lead.  At 116 lbs., Madison Angelito posted a 6-2 decision over seventh-ranked Mia Rodriguez to give the Patriots a 7-5 edge.  The Tigers won the next two matches by tech falls, before Duty defeated 14^th-ranked Sophia Carson with a 13-2 tech fall.  A forfeit at 143 lbs. class coupled with an Anna Naylor 16-13 decision over fourth-ranked Alexia Foca put the Patriots ahead 21-15.  Campbellsville cut the lead to 21-19, before Kirby defeated third-ranked Alexandra Castillo in a 10-3 decision for the 24-20 final.

UC had a pair wrestlers go undefeated on the weekend as Rodriguez and Kirby both finished finished 5-0.  Rigert and Angelito both finished 3-1 on the weekend.

The Patriots will return to the mat Thursday, January 10, when they travel to Marietta, GA to face fourth-seed Life in a conference matchup.  The match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

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