Emory, VA – The Southern Virginia women's wrestling team showcased resilience and strong individual performances at the Wasp Open on Friday, Dec. 13th, hosted by Division II Emory & Henry University. Despite competing against tough opposition, the Knights left their mark, highlighted by quick pins, high-scoring matches, and hard-fought battles across multiple weight classes.The team's strong performances, especially from Gracie Blake, Makenna Dolt, and Alyssa Pace, reflect their hard work on the mat.

Team Highlights

• The Knights finished 9th in team pins, totaling four pins on the day.

• Gracie Blake scored the most team points with 6.5 points, followed by Makenna Dolt with 5 points. Andrea Castro and Alyssa Pace each added 2.5 team points.

• Alyssa Pace earned the Most Single Match Points with 12 points in her second match.

• In terms of Total Match Points, Alyssa Pace led with 22 points, followed by Makenna Dolt with 16 points, and Gracie Blake with 8 points.

The Knights will take a well-deserved break before returning to action at the Yellow Jacket Open, hosted by Allen University, on Saturday, January 11th.
 

Individual Performances

Makenna Dolt (124 lbs):

• Opened her day with an impressive 51-second pin in the first round.

• Secured a 10-0 technical fall against teammate Andrea Castro in a strong rebound match.

• Finished her day with a loss by fall but tallied 16 total match points and earned 5 team points, showcasing her perseverance.

Gracie Blake (138 lbs):

• Led the team with a 2-2 record, including two quick pins.

• Achieved the team's fastest pin of the day at just 27 seconds.

• Scored the most team points for Southern Virginia with 6.5 points.

• Reflecting on the day, Gracie said, "I had so much fun wrestling and it felt so good to see that what I was working on in practice is translating to the mat. I'm so grateful for all of my teamates."

Andrea Castro (124 lbs):

• Faced tough competition, suffering two losses by fall, including a match against teammate Makenna Dolt.

• Earned 2.5 team points.

Alyssa Pace (131 lbs):

• Had several high-scoring matches, securing Most Total Match Points with 22 points across her matches.

• Scored 12 points in her second match, earning a 12-1 technical fall victory over Chloe Parets, and 10 points in her opening match.

• Earned 2.5 team points for the Knights.

Leigh-Anne Verburg (138 lbs):

• Lost her first match by a 10-0 technical fall but celebrated a personal milestone, successfully shooting and hitting her first high-c.

Dusti Casperson (110 lbs):

• Suffered an injury default in her first match against Tiana Savino, whom she had previously defeated at ESU several weeks ago. Tiana went on to place 2nd at the Wasp Open against a nationally ranked teammate.

Eve Beckstead (145 lbs):

• Advanced through two byes but faced a setback in the third round, losing by fall.

• Seani Casperson praised her performance, saying, "Shout out to Eve for your no-give-up attitude! Way to go team!"

Seani Casperson (124 lbs):

• Encountered strong opposition, suffering two losses by fall, but contributed to the team's collective fighting spirit.

Final Results Summary