THREE U.S. WRESTLERS WIN GOLD MEDALS AT PAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, MAY 23, LEADING THE UNITED STATES TO THE TEAM TITLE 
   Three U.S. athletes won gold medals at the 1997 Pan American Women's Wrestling Championships at the Pedrin Zorrilla Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 23. 
   The tournament featured female wrestlers from nations in North, South and Central America. The United States won the team title with 25 points, followed by Venezuela in second place with 14 points. Six nations entered athletes in the competition. 
   The U.S. champions were Stephanie Murata (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 123.25 pounds, Lauren Wolfe (Okemos, Mich./Michigan WC) at 136.5 pounds and Kristie Stenglein (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) at 165.25 pounds. 
   Murata, a two-time U.S. Nationals champion, beat Olga Lugo of Venezuela in the gold-medal match, 5-3. 
   Wolfe scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall victory over Amanda Patino of Colombia in 2:46 in the championship match. To qualify for the finals, Wolfe beat Eglis Calzadilla of Venezuela, 4-1. 
   Stenglein, a 1996 World silver medalist and two-time U.S. Nationals champion,  shut out Mayra Ocampo of Venezuela, 8-0. 
   Sandra Bacher (San Jose, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) won a silver medal at 149.75 pounds, dropping a 6-0 decision to two-time World Champion Christine Nordhagen of Canada in the finals. 
   Bacher pinned Xiomeara Guevara of Venezuela in 2:50 in the semifinals. Bacher was a member of the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic judo teams, and was fourth in the 1996 World Championships in women's wrestling.  Claiming bronze medals were Rosemarie Unpingco (Antioch, Calif./Peninsula Grapplers) at 101.25 pounds and Vickie Zummo (Hamburg, N.J./New York AC) at 112.25 pounds. Both were defeated in their first match, but came back to win the bronze-medal bout. 
   Unpingco, a two-time U.S. Nationals champion, defeated Yantza Mendoza of Venezuela, 7-5 in the bronze-medal match. She lost by pin to Angeles Barraza of Mexico in 2:37 in the first round. 
   Zummo, a 1995 World bronze medalist, scored a 12-1 technical fall over Arelllano Magdelena of Mexico in the third-place match. Zummo was edged by veteran Erica Sharp of Canada, 3-1 in the first round. 
   All six members of the 1997 U.S. Pan American Championships team in women's wrestling were 1997 U.S. Nationals champions. None of the U.S. athletes have participated in previous Pan American Championships events. 
  PAN AMERICAN WOMEN'S WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS at San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 23 
  Final results 
   46 kg/101.25 lbs. - 1st - Angeles Barraza, Mexico, won by tech. fall over Evelin Matias, Puerto Rico, 13-3, 2:36; 3rd - Rosemarie Unpingco, Antioch, Calif. dec. Yantza Mendoza, Venezuela, 7-5 
   51 kg/112.25 lbs. - 1st - Wendy Izaguirre, Venezuela, dec. Erica Sharp, Canada, 3-2, ot, 4:30; 3rd - Vickie Zummo, Hamburg, N.J., won by tech. fall over Arelllano Magdelena, Mexico, 12-1; 5th - Melixandra Rivera, Puerto Rico 
   56 kg/123.25 lbs. - 1st - Stephanie Murata, Phoenix, Ariz., dec. Olga Lugo, Venezuela, 5-3; 3rd - Yameli Valle, Puerto Rico 
   62 kg/136.5 lbs. - 1st - Lauren Wolfe, Okemos, Mich., won by tech. fall over Amanda Patino, Colombia, 10-0, 2:46; 3rd - Eglis Calzadilla, Venezuela; 4th - Marielis Lopez, Puerto Rico 
   68 kg/149.75 lbs. - 1st - Christine Nordhagen, Canada, dec. Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif., 6-0; 3rd - Xiomara Guevera, Venezuela; 4th - Iria Otero, Puerto Rico 
   75 kg/165.25 lbs. - 1st - Kristie Stenglein, Albany, N.Y., dec. Mayra Ocampo, Venezuela, 8-0 
  Team standings: 1. United States, 25 pts.; 2. Venezuela, 14 pts.; 3. Puerto Rico, 12 pts.; 4. Mexico, 11 pts.; 5. Canada, 9 pts.; 6. Colombia, 4 pts. 
  U.S. performances 
   46 kg/101.25 lbs. - Rosemarie Unpingco, Antioch, Calif., 3rd - lost by pin to Angeles Barraza, Mexico, 2:37; dec. Yantza Mendoza, Venezuela, 7-5 
   51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Vickie Zummo, Hamburg, N.J., 3rd - lost dec. to Erica Sharp, Canada, 3-1; won by tech. fall over Arelllano Magdelena, Mexico, 12-1 
   56 kg/123.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Phoenix, Ariz., 1st - dec. Olga Lugo, Venezuela, 5-3 
   62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Lauren Wolfe, Okemos, Mich., 1st  - dec. Eglis Calzadilla, Venezuela, 4-1; won by tech. fall over Amanda Patino, Colombia, 10-0, 2:46 
   68 kg/149.75 lbs. - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif., 2nd - pin Xiomara Guevara, Venezuela, 2:50; lost dec. to Christine Nordhagen, Canada, 6-0 
   75 kg/165.25 lbs. - Kristie Stenglein, Albany, N.Y., 1st - dec. Mayra Ocampo, Venezuela, 8-0