SOFIA, Bulgaria – Erin Golston (Lake In The Hills, Ill./NYAC/USOEC) has reached the semifinals at 44 kg/97 lbs. on the first day of women’s freestyle wrestling at the Junior World Championships on Thursday morning.

Golston opened with an 8-0 technical fall over Leisy Mena of Honduras. Leading 5-0, Golston scored a two-point tilt for exposure in the closing seconds of the first period. Mena requested a review, which was denied, giving Golston another point and the win at the 3:00 mark.

In the quarterfinals, Golston got her offense going, looking sharp in a 7-0 technical fall over Rena Okuno of Japan. 

Golston will face Sheetal Tomar of India in the semifinals, which will be held at 4:00 p.m. Sofia time. She is a two-time Junior World bronze medalist and is competing in her fourth Junior World Championships.

Winning her first two matches, then falling in the quarterfinals was Jenna Burkert (Rocky Point, N.Y./NYAC/USOEC) at 59 kg/130 lbs.

Burkert came out firing in a quick 7-0 technical fall over Lisa Holgersson of Sweden in just 46 seconds. A takedown was followed by repeated gut wrench turns to put the match away.

She had to battle hard to win her second round match against Tetyana Kit of Ukraine. A see-saw battle, in which Burkert jumped to a quick 5-0, then saw it disappear when she was thrown on her back and had to fight from a fall, as the lead closed to 8-6. In the final minute, Burkert pulled together her composure, scored a number of defensive takedowns and won 11-6.

Her quarterfinal match was against a challenging Petra Olli of Norway, who had beaten a tough Japanese opponent in the previous round. Olli jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first period, and was able to get Burkert on her back in the second period for a pin in 3:57.

The two other U.S. wrestlers competing on Thursday dropped their first match. At 51 kg/112.5 lbs., two-time Junior World team member Haley Augello (Lockport, Ill./NYAC) was pinned by 2012 Junior World bronze medalist Lilya Horishna of Ukraine in 1:36. Lorrie-Ann Ramos (Orlando, Fla./King University) lost by technical fall 0-8 to Kona Suzuki of Japan at 67 kg/147.5 lbs

All three of the U.S. women who lost still have a chance to earn a spot in the repechage, if the opponent they lost to are able to win their semifinal matches.

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Sofia, Bulgaria

U.S. women’s freestyle performances so far

44 kg/97 lbs. – Erin Golston, Lake In The Hills, Ill. (NYAC/USOEC/UCCS)
WIN Leisy Mena (Honduras), tech. fall, 8-0 (3:00)
WIN Rena Okuno (Japan), 7-0 (3:35)

51 kg/112.5 lbs. – Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (NYAC)
LOSS Lilya Horishna (Ukraine), pin 1:36

59 kg/130 lbs. – Jenna Burkert, Rocky Point, N.Y. (NYAC/USOEC/UCCS)
WIN Lisa Holgersson (Sweden), tech. fall 7-0 (0:43)
WIN Tetyana Kit (Ukraine), 11-6
LOSS Petra Olli (Norway), pin 3:57

67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Lorrie-Ann Ramos, Orlando, Fla. (King University)
LOSS Kona Suzuki (Japan), tech. fall 0-8