Sunkist Kids women win four titles and team crown at Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
10/22/2005


Tempe, Ariz. - The Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club dominated the women's competition at the 21st Annual Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open at Wells Fargo Arena, crowning four individual champions including Outstanding Wrestler Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs.

Van Dusen did not allow a single point to be scored on her in the entire tournament, and recorded two first-period falls as well. In the finals, she defeated two-time World silver medalist Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 1-0, 1-0. It was sweet revenge for Van Dusen, who won the U.S. World Team Trials this year but lost to George in a Special Wrestle-Off for the final spot on the women's World Team.

Also winning gold medals for the Sunkist Kids were Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. and Stephany Lee (Honolulu, Hawaii/Sunkist Kids) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Chun downed Alana King of Canada, 1-0, 4-0 in the gold-medal bout. Throughout the tournament, Chun recorded six-point technical superiorities in five periods and only lost one period.

Downing also won her finals match 1-0, 4-0, defeating Heidi Kulak of Canada. Downing, who recently won a World bronze medal, outscored her four opponents 14-0 while also recording two, first-period falls.

Lee pinned World University Games gold medalist Ohenewa Akuffo of Canada in the third period. Lee ended the first period with a five-point throw, but Akuffo battled back, winning the second period and taking the lead late in the third period before Lee threw her to her back for the fall.

Also winning a gold medal for the U.S. was Othella Lucas (San Diego, Calif./Univ. of the Cumberlands) at 59 kg/130 lbs. Lucas defeated former U.S. Nationals champion Na'Tasha Umemoto (Portland, Ore./Sunkist Kids), 5-1, 4-3.

Two Canadian wrestlers also captured gold medals on Saturday night.

Olympian Lyndsay Belisle dropped the first period to Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./USOEC/New York AC), 2-1, but wore down Kelly before winning the final two periods, 2-1, 4-0 at 51 kg/112.25 lbs.

Megan Dolan defeated U.S. Nationals champion Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC), 1-0, 4-0 at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.

Winning bronze medals were Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./Menlo College) at 48 kg, Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg, Brit Laverdure of Canada at 55 kg, Amberle Montgomery (Maple Valley, Wash./USOEC) at 59 kg, Erin Tomeo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg, Megan Buydens of Canada at 67 kg and Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Univ. of Regina) at 72 kg."