ZRENJANIN, Serbia – Two U.S. women wrestlers have earned a spot in the bronze-medal round at the Cadet World Championships, Marina Doi at 38 kg/83.75 lbs. and Teshya Alo at 56 kg/123.25 lbs.

Doi, a Returning Cadet World champion from California, scored the first takedown, but could not hold off 2013 European silver medalist Oksana Livach of Ukraine at 38 kg/83.75 lbs. Livach who scored six straight points, giving Doi a loss, 2-6. Doi had difficult getting leg shots on the powerful Ukrainian opponent.

When Livach won her semifinal match, Doi was pulled back into the repechage. Because there are only eight entries in her weight, Doi moves into a bronze-medal bout, where she will face 2013 European champion Aleksandra Skirenko of Russia.

2013 Junior and Cadet Nationals champion Teshya Alo of Hawaii had a formidable opponent in the first round, 2011 Cadet World champion and 2012 Cadet World bronze medalist Maria Kotsareva of Russia at Alo opened the scoring with a nice three-point hip toss and led 5-3 at the break. Kotsareva scored the only four points of the second period, and Alo appeared hampered with an injury, with the final score going for the past World Champion, 5-7.

Kotsareva reached the finals, pulling Alo back into the repechage, where she threw and pinned Arianna Carieri of Italy in the first period. Alo will battle 2013 European champion Grace Bullen of Norway in a bronze-medal match.

The U.S. had a rough start, losing its first four matches, and ended the morning session with at 2-5 record.

Cadence Lee of California, competing in her second Cadet World Championships, scored a pin over Noemi Szenttamasi of Hungary in 1:39 in her first match at 49 kg/108 lbs. In a close match, Lee scored a takedown in the second period to take a 3-2 lead, then turned Szenttamasi over to her back for a quick pin.

In the second match, Lee faced Janika Vakkila of Finland. She received a point on a passivity call against Vakkila in the first period. Vakkila scored a takedown in the second period to make it 2-1. As time ran out, Lee was close to a takedown on a spin behind but it was not called. The USA requested a challenge, which was denied, and Vakkila received another point for the failed challenge to win the match 3-1.

Lee was eliminated from the repechage when Vakkila was defeated in the semifinals by 2012 Cadet World champion Kika Kagata of Japan.

Sariyah Jones of California dropped her first match to Bidyarani Potshangbam of India, 1-4 at 43 kg/94.75 lbs.. The match was tied at 1-1 at the break, but Potshangbam scored a three-point throw off a Jones front headlock to take the lead and the match in the second period. Jones was eliminated from the repechage when Potshangbam was pinned in the semifinals.

Two-time Junior Nationals champion Alexis Porter of New York had trouble getting her offense going in a 1-4 loss in the first round to Darnya Legusha of Ukraine at 65 kg/143.25 lbs. Porter was eliminated from the repechage when Legusha lost her next match.

The finals will being at 6 p.m. Serbia time, which is 12:00 noon in New York City. FILA is running a webcast on its Facebook page.

CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Zrenjanin, Serbia

U.S. women’s freestyle performances so far

38 kg/83.75 lbs. – Marina Doi, Kingsburg, Calif.
LOSS Oksana Livach (Ukraine), 2-6
Bronze medal – vs. Aleksandra Skirenko (Russia)

43 kg/94.75 lbs. – Sariyah Jones, Modesto, Calif.
LOSS Bidyarani Potshangbam (India), 1-4

49 kg/108 lbs. – Cadence Lee, Los Altos Hills, Calif.
WIN Noemi Szenttamasi (Hungary), pin 1:39
LOSS Janika Vakkila (Finland), 1-3

56 kg/123.25 lbs. – Teshya Alo, Honolulu, Hawaii
LOSS Maria Kotsareva (Russia), 5-7
WIN Arianna Carieri (Italy), pin 1:13
Bronze medal – Vs. Grace Bullen (Norway)

65 kg/143.25 lbs. – Alexis Porter, Ballston Lake, N.Y.
LOSS Darnya Legusha (Ukraine), 1-4