2008 World champion Clarissa Chun of the USA defeats Lindsay Rushton of Canada at 48 kg in the 2010 Women's World Cup. Photo by Ikuo Higuchi LIEVIN, France – The United States went 2-1 in pool competition on Saturday, and has advanced to the championship match at the Women’s World Cup. The Women’s World Cup in the annual international dual meet championship featuring the top wrestling nations in the world. The United States defeated Canada 5-2, lost to Russia, 4-3 and dominated Kazakhstan, 6-1 in Pool B competition. The USA, Canada and Russia all finished the pool competition with 2-1 records. In the tiebreaking procedures, the USA took first, Canada took second and Russia took third. Kazakhstan was 0-3 to place fourth in the pool. “We had a tough day. We did not wrestle our best but I give the girls credit; they found a way to get the job done. That is the key to success that even on your bad days you have to be better than the rest,†said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner. Medal matches will be held on Sunday. In the championship dual meet, the United States will face Pool A winner China. It is a rematch of the 2010 Women’s World Cup finals, won by China. “We will face a tough China team tomorrow,†said Steiner. “We will need to step it up a couple notches. We are capable of it. Let’s see what we are made of tomorrow.†The third place match will feature Canada against Japan. The fifth place match will include Russia and Mongolia. Seventh place will be contested between Kazakhstan and France. The USA opened with a strong 5-2 win over Canada. The team got off to a strong start at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. when 2008 World champion Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) defeated Lindsay Rushton. After a loss at 51 kg/112.25 pounds, the United States reeled off four straight wins to put the dual away. Earning wins over Canada were Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Kelsey Campbell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 59 kg/130 lbs., Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Kristie Davis (Oklahoma City, Okla./Gator WC/OCU) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Pirozhkova, a 2010 World silver medalist, beat a longtime rival, 2009 World bronze medalist Justine Bouchard. Davis, a two-time World champion and nine-time World medalist, stopped Megan Buydens. The U.S. fell 4-3 to Russia in the second dual. It went down to the final match, where Russia’s Ekatarina Bukina edged 2008 U.S. Olympian Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC). Scoring victories for the USA were Pirozhkova and Davis, with a forfeit win at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. by 2010 U.S. World Team member Alyssa Lampe (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids). In the closing dual meet against Kazakhstan, the U.S. dominated for a 6-1 victory. Kazakhstan won the opening bout, but the USA ran off six straight wins to close out the win. Winning for the USA against Kazakhstan were Campbell, Pirozhkova, Davis and Bernard, plus two-time World bronze medalist Tatiana Padilla (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and two-time U.S. World Team member Jessica Medina (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. Pirozhkova and Davis had perfect 3-0 records on Saturday. Campbell finished the day unbeaten with a 2-0 record. “I love this team. They are a great group of athletes and they deserve everything they get. They work very hard and are very focused in their efforts,†said Steiner. The last time the USA won the Women’s World Cup team title was in 2003 in Tokyo, Japan, when the United States had a perfect 6-0 record in their dual meets, and defeated host Japan in the championship finals, 14-13. WOMEN’S WORLD CUP At Lievin, France, March 5 USA 5, Canada 2 48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Clarissa Chun (USA) dec. Lindsay Rushton (Canada) 51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Jessica MacDonald (Canada) dec. Jessica Medina (USA) 55 kg/121 lbs. – Helen Maroulis (USA) dec. Samantha Stewart (Canada) 59 kg/130 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell (USA) dec. Amanda Gerhardt (Canada) 63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova (USA) dec. Justine Bouchard (Canada) 67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Kristie Davis (USA) dec. Megan Buydens (Canada) 72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Leah Callahan (Canada) won by forfeit Russia 4, USA 3 48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Alyssa Lampe (USA) won by forfeit 51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Lubov Salnikova (Russia) dec. Whitney Conder (USA) 55 kg/121 lbs. – Trina Kissel (Russia) dec. Helen Maroulis (USA) 59 kg/130 lbs. – Anna Polovneva (Russia) dec. Tatiana Padilla (USA) 63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova (USA) dec. Inna Trazhukova (Russia) 67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Kristie Davis (USA) dec. Darina Sanzheeva (Russia) 72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Ekatarina Bukina (Russia) dec. Ali Bernard (USA) USA 6 Kazakhstan 1 48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Zhuldyz Eshimova (Kazakhstan) dec. Alyssa Lampe (USA) 51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Jessica Medina (USA) dec. Gulmira Iskakova (Kazakhstan) 55 kg/121 lbs. – Tatiana Padilla (USA) dec. Aiym Abdildina (Kazakhstan) 59 kg/130 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell (USA) dec. Olga Kalinina (Kazakhstan) 63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova (USA) dec. Tatyana Zakharova (Kazakhstan) 67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Kristie Davis (USA) dec. Yelena Shalygina (Kazakhstan) 72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Ali Bernard (USA) won by forfeit Other Pool B dual meets Russia 4, Kazakhstan 3 Canada 5, Kazakhstan 2 Canada 4, Russia 3 Pool A dual meets Japan 7, Mongolia 0 China 7, France 0 Japan 7, France 0 China 7, Mongolia 0 China 5, Japan 2 Mongolia 6, France 1