Marshall, MO- The Patriots sent 14 wrestlers to the Missouri Valley Open competing against wrestlers across multiple divisions including NAIA and Division II. After the first day of competition Jesse Kirby is the lone UC wrestler left in the field.

Both Chamira Cooper and Hailey Foster earned top marks in individual matches today. Cooper earned a pin in 11 seconds, after blast doubling her opponent, resulting in the pin, which ties for the third fastest in program history. Foster got her first career win as a Patriot, winning via fall.

After losing her initial match, Kirby rattled off three wins to secure a top-eight finish in her weight class of 191. All three of her wins came via fall including her fastest of the season at 21 seconds. She then had to face 11^th ranked Natalia Villegas of Grand View. Kirby, ranked ninth herself, won the match at 1:49 via fall. Kirby earned a pair of two-point takedowns before pinning Villegas. The Culpeper, VA native then had to wrestle Perla Ramirez, ranked 14^th from Indiana Tech. She once again got a pair of two-point takedowns before pinning her opponent, this time at 2:39. She will have a tough match to begin day two of the tournament, going up against 12^th ranked Liliana Vergara from Campbellsville.

Cumberlands did have four wrestlers make it to the third round of the championship bracket, but all fell to the consolation bracket. Elizabeth Dosado picked up her first two wins of the season, coming in the 109-weight class. She advanced to the third round winning her matches by a 12-0 tech fall and a fall at 2:09. Alexis Medina advanced to the third round of the 116-weight class after winning by a 10-0 tech fall and a fall just over a minute at 1:09.

In the 123-weight class Foster not only made it to the third round, but also secured her first collegiate win. She landed a big four-point takedown in the opening seconds of the match and was in command the rest of the way. Foster was up 14-4 and then got the win by pin in at 3:00. Taylor Whitehurst also made it to the third round, hers coming in the 143-weight class. After earning a bye she won her round two matchup via 3:00 fall.

Cooper got off to a strong start in the 170 division, winning her first match with the 11 second fall. She then lost to #2 ranked Hunter Robinson from Grand View, by just three points in a tight 7-4 decision. Cooper then had two more wins before bowing out of the tournament, both of which coming via fall at 1:46 and 1:40 respectively. She now has six fall victories on the season, which leads the team.

Kirby will be back in action tomorrow for day two of the MoVal Tournament, which picks back up at 10AM ET. Live stats can be found here.

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