Dual of the Week: #8 Iowa vs. #5 Sacred Heart

IOWA CITY, IA - It was a day wrestling fans had circled on their calendar—the first home dual for the Iowa women’s program in the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Since the news broke a few years ago that Iowa would host a women’s program, the program’s story has been unfolding…the hiring of Clarissa Chun…a line-up of blue chip recruits and transfers…the launch of their inaugural season in 2023. Now that it’s here, the Hawkeyes put on a demonstration of their firepower in front of a crowd of 8207 fans, winning 29 of 30 matches in their three duals at the quad.

Their highest ranked opponent was #5 Sacred Heart, one of the other few NCAA Division I programs, though there are certainly D2 and D3 programs like North Central and McKendree that will give Iowa all they can handle later in the season.

For now, we got to see what it looks like when #8 Iowa steps on the mat with a top 5 program like Sacred Heart, though it’s certainly noted that Iowa’s ranking is low only because they’re a new program. It’s not a “miss” by rankers as much as it is ranking protocol to base rankings on results, and since Iowa is brand new, they’ll earn their ranking like everyone has, regardless of who is on the roster.

Their home opener will go a long way to put them where they belong—in the top 5—as Iowa walloped Sacred Heart 40-4.

Hawkeye women not only won their matches, but dominated, with the sole exception of a loss at 191, where Sacred Heart’s Madeline Hodges defeated Alivia White 7-0. Otherwise, it was Hulk smash, with all technical falls and pins, including returning national champion transfer Marlynne Deede getting a fall over All-American Madison Sandquist at 155, and 2021 Junior world champion and Senior National Teamer Kylie Welker getting a 12-1 technical fall at 170 over #2 ranked Love Daley. 4x national finalist & 2021 national champion McKendree transfer Felicity Taylor took a forfeit at 123.

Iowa will compete this weekend at the toughest regular season college tournament, featuring the best NAIA and NCAA programs, the Missouri Valley Open.

Here’s the box score from Sunday against Sacred Heart.

#8 Iowa 40, #5 Sacred Heart 4
101 -- Sterling Dias (I) pinned Aaliyah Payne-Parris (S), 0:22
109 -- Ava Bayless (I) tech. fall Ahsia Torres (S), 10-0
116 -- Brianna Gonzalez (I) pinned Nohea Moniz (S), 1:52
123 -- Felicity Taylor (I) by forfeit
130 -- Lilly Luft` (I) tech. fall Bayley Trang (S), 10-0
136 -- Nanea Estrella (I) tech. fall Aliza Leander (S), 10-0
143 -- Reese Larramendy (I) tech. fall Khaijah Sanusi (S), 11-0
155 -- Marlynne Deede (I) pinned Madison Sandquist (S), 1:32
170 -- Kylie Welker (I) tech. fall Love Daley (S), 12-1
191 -- Madeline Hodges (S) dec. Alivia White (I), 7-0