Helen Maroulis fires in on a leg attack en route to reaching the finals of the Pan American Championships. Terry Kness photo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Five U.S. women’s freestyle wrestlers have advanced to the finals of the Pan American Championships.

Americans Whitney Conder, Helen Maroulis, Randi Beltz, Lauren Louive and Stephany Lee will shoot for gold medals on Saturday night at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

The finals are set for 6 p.m.

Maroulis, a 2011 Pan American Games champion, swept Marcia Andrades of Venezuela 1-0, 3-0 in the semifinals at 55 kg/121 lbs. Maroulis will face Ecuador’s Lissette Alexandra Antes in the finals. Antes placed third in the 2011 Pan American Games.

“I got my feet moving and pushed the pace,” Maroulis said. “With my offense, I can just go from one move to another and girls will tire out and not be able to react as fast.”

Lee, a two-time World Team member, reached the finals after sweeping Venezuela’s Jaramit Weffer 1-0, 7-0 in the semifinals at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. She will face Cuba’s Lisset Echavarria Medina in the finals.

“I wrestled all right, but I could’ve done a lot better,” Lee said. “It’s very important that I don’t slip into old habits. I’m changing up some things and working on new stuff.”

Medina won the Pan American Games in 2011. Lee is seeking her fourth title in this event.

Beltz will battle Canada’s Amanda Gerhart in the finals at 59 kg/130 lbs. Gerhart won this event last year and placed fifth at the 2011 World Championships.

Conder, a 2011 World Team member, will face 2011 World bronze medalist Jessica MacDonald of Canada in the finals at 51 kg/112.25 lbs.

Louive will battle Canada’s Megan Buydens in the finals at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. They were the only entries in that division. Buydens won this event last year.

2010 World silver medalist Elena Pirozhkova fell to 2009 World bronze medalist Justin Bouchard of Canada in the first round at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Bouchard shot in on a leg attack to gain a third-period takedown to earn a 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 win over Pirozhkova.

Pirozhkova, who has won this event three times, was eliminated when Bouchard fell short of reaching the finals.

American Alyssa Lampe will wrestle for the bronze medal at 48 kg/105 lbs. Lampe lost by fall to 2011 Pan American Championships silver medalist Patricia Alejandra Bermudez of Argentina in the semifinals. Lampe will face Carolina Castillo of Colombia in the bronze-medal match.

The three-day tournament is scheduled to conclude with the men’s freestyle competition set for Sunday in Colorado Springs.

FINALS MATCHUPS

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Katiuska Toaza (Ecuador) vs. Patricia Alejandra Bermudez (Argentina)

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) vs. Jessica MacDonald (Canada)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Helen Maroulis (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) vs. Lissette Alexandra Antes (Ecuador)

59 kg/130 lbs.
Randi Beltz (St. Clair, Mo./Missouri Valley WC) vs. Amanda Gerhart (Canada)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Sandra Viviana Roa (Colombia) vs. Wendy Garcia (Mexico)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Lauren Louive (Massillon, Ohio/UC Women’s Wrestling) vs. Megan Buydens (Canada)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Stephany Lee (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) vs. Lisset Echavarria Medina (Cuba)

U.S. RESULTS

48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Ashley McKilligan (Canada), 7-0, 6-0
LOSS Patricia Alejandra Bermudez (Argentina), fall 1:02
vs. Carolina Castillo (Colombia) in bronze-medal match

51 kg/112.5 lbs. – Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs (Gator WC)
WIN Mayara Graciano (Brazil), 4-0, 1-0
vs. Jessica MacDonald (Canada) in finals

55 kg/121 lbs. – Helen Maroulis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Jenny Suazo (Peru), 3-0, 7-0
WIN Liedy Cifuentes (Colombia), fall 1:53
WIN Marcia Andrades (Venezuela), 1-0, 3-0
vs. Lissette Alexandra Antes (Ecuador) in finals

59 kg/130 lbs. – Randi Beltz, St. Clair, Mo. (Missouri Valley WC)
WIN Toliana Hizate (Colombia), 3-4, 2-0, 5-3
WIN Lais Nunes de Oliviera (Brazil), fall 0:23
vs. Amanda Gerhart (Canada) in finals

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs (Gator WC)
LOSS Justine Bouchard (Canada), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0

67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Lauren Louive, Massillon, Ohio (UC Women’s Wrestling)
vs. Megan Buydens (Canada) in finals

72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Stephany Lee, Colorado Springs (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Jaramit Weffer (Venezuela), 1-0, 7-0
vs. Lisset Echavarria Medina (Cuba) in finals