Whitney Conder of the U.S. Army squares off with Victory Anthony of the NYAC in the Challenge Tournament semifinals at 51 kg at the U.S. World Team Wrestle-off

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –  A pair of past World medalists won their bouts to qualify for the Championship Series finals at the U.S. Women’s World Team Wrestle-off at the Olympic Training Center.

2005 World champion Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) scored a Challenge Tournament semifinal win over Melissa Simmons (Ridgefield, Wash./ (DFU), 3-1, 1-0. 

Smith advances to the best-of-three Championship Series finals against the other semifinal winner, Julia Salata (Canton, Mich./King) at the 2:30 p.m. session.

2011 World bronze medalist Adeline Gray (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) has also reached the Championship Series, after her semifinal victory over Trinity Plessinger (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 3-0, 5-0. Her finals opponent will be Jennifer Page (Orangevale, Calif./OTC).

The winners at the 2:30 p.m. Championship Series finals will earn a spot on the U.S. Women’s World Team, which will compete at the Women’s World Championships in Strathcona County, Canada, Sept,. 27-29.

2012 U.S. Olympian Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) advanced directly to the Championship Series based upon her Olympic Team berth. Pirozhkova will wrestle Challenge Tournament champion Erin Clodgo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in the Championship Series.

Clodgo was the winner of the Challenge Tournament finals, beating two-time Junior World bronze medalist Alli Ragan (Carbondale, Ill./New York AC/King), 0-1, 4-0, 1-0.

Earning spots in the Championship Finals series at a competitive weight class, 51 kg/112.25 lbs., is a pair of past U.S. World Team members: Alyssa Lampe (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) and Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army).

Lampe, a 2010 U.S. World Team member, pinned Jessica Fresh (Knoxville, Iowa/Waldorf) in the second period, 7-0, 1:23. Conder, a 2011 U.S. World Team member, stopped two-time Junior World champion Victoria Anthony (Huntington Beach, Calif./New York AC), 1-6, 2-0, 1-0.

Two other past U.S. World Team members are also in the Championship Series finals: Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Leigh Jaynes (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 59 kg/130 lbs.

Maroulis will face Katherine Fulp-Allen (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) in the Championship Series. Jaynes will wrestle Shauna Isbell (Flagstaff, Ariz./Lindenwood) in the finals series at their weight.

In total, there will be seven past U.S. World Team members in the Championship Series finals.

One weight class on the U.S. World Team is already determined. 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) is already on the team based upon winning a medal at the London Olympics.

WOMEN’S WORLD TEAM WRESTLE-OFF
At Colorado Springs, Colo., Sept. 15

Best-of-three Championship Series finals pairings

51 kg/112.25 lbs: - Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist) vs. Whitney Conder (U.S. Army)

55 kg/121 lbs. - Helen Maroulis (NYAC) vs. Katherine Fulp-Allen (NYAC)

59 kg/130 lbs.– Leigh Jaynes (NYAC) vs. Shauna Isbell (Lindenwood)

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Erin Clodgo (Sunkist) vs. 2012 Olympian Elena Pirozhkova (Gator WC)

67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Adeline Gray (NYAC) vs. Jennifer Page (OTC)

72 kg/158.5 lbs. -  Iris Smith (Army) vs. Julia Salata (King)

Challenge Tournament finals (only at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.)

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Erin Clodgo (Sunkist Kids) dec. Alli Ragan (NYAC/King), 0-1, 4-0, 1-0
Clodgo faces Elena Pirozhkova in Championship Series

Challenge Tournament Semifinal results

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids) pin Jessica Fresh (Waldorf), 7-0, 1:23
Whitney Conder (US Army) dec. Victoria Anthony (NYAC), 1-6, 2-0, 1-0

55 kg/121 lbs.
Helen Maroulis (NYAC) dec. Amy Whitbeck (NYAC), 6-1, 3-0
Katherine Fulp-Allen (NYAC) dec. Michaela Hutchison (OKCU), 2-0, 2-0

59 kg/130 lbs.
Leigh Jaynes (NYAC) dec. Brieana Delgado (OKCU), 2-1, 6-0
Shauna Isbell (Lindenwood) dec. Jenna Burkert (NYAC), 0-1, 4-3, 2-0

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Erin Clodgo (Sunkist) dec. Audrey Morehouse (OKCU), 1-0, 3-0
Alli Ragan (King) dec. Melissa Apodaca (NYAC), 3-0, 1-0

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Adeline Gray (NYAC) dec. Trinity Plessinger (Sunkist), 3-0, 5-0
Jennifer Page (OTC) dec. Veronica Carlson (NYAC), 0-1, 1-1, 2-1

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Iris Smith (Army) dec. Melissa Simmons (DFU), 3-1, 1-0
Julia Salata (King) dec. Brittany Roberts (OKCU), 1-0, 1-1

Challenge Tournament Third Place Matches

51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Victoria Anthony (NYAC) tech. fall Jessica Fresh (Waldorf), 7-0, 6-0

55 kg/121 lbs. – Katerina Perez (King) pin Michaela Hutchison (OKCU), 2-0, 1-4, 0:28

59 kg/130 lbs. - Jenna Burkert (NYAC) pin Rachel McFarland (OKCU), 1:58

63 kg/138.75 lbs.  - Audrey Morehouse (OKCU) dec. Melissa Apodaca (NYAC), 1-0, 1-0

67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Veronica Carlson (NYAC) dec. Trinity Plessinger (Sunkist), 3-1, 1-2, 1-0

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Anneliese DeAragon (Colorado Springs) pin Melissa Simmons (DFU), 2-0, 5-0