Bulldogs Battle at Mike Clock Open; Xiong Makes Statement with Pins
FOREST GROVE, Ore. — November 11, 2018
The Fresno State Wrestling Club hit the mats at the Mike Clock Open this past weekend, marking their first road competition of the 2018 season. The women’s squad kicked things off on Saturday, November 10, followed by the men’s division on Sunday, November 11. With a mix of returning wrestlers and new faces, the Bulldogs continued to build momentum as the season gets underway.
The story of the weekend belonged to Mai Xiong (109 lbs), who made a statement against a tough field of competition. After a hard-fought opening loss to eventual tournament champion Ciara McCrae of Simon Fraser, Xiong stormed back with authority, pinning Dominique Jeanson and Carolina Johnson of Southern Oregon in back-to-back matches. Her run came to an end against Maria Reyes of Big Bend CC, who went on to finish third, but Xiong’s performance showcased her ability to finish matches and proved she will be a dangerous competitor all season.
Tournament Recap
109 lbs – Mai Xiong
Xiong dropped a very tough opening match against eventual tournament champion Ciara McCrae of Simon Fraser. She then rallied with two straight pins over Dominique Jeanson and Carolina Johnson of Southern Oregon, before her run ended against eventual third-place finisher Maria Reyes of Big Bend CC. A strong, statement-making performance from the Bulldog freshman.
141 lbs – Domenic Garcia
Garcia opened his tournament against former Oregon State standout Joey Palmer, a multi-time NCAA qualifier, falling in the first round. He was later eliminated by Sawyer Myers of Umpqua CC in the consolation bracket.
141 lbs – Llimy Garcia
Garcia dropped his opening match to Oregon State’s Riley Gurr (unattached) but battled back in the consolation rounds. His tournament came to a close with a tough loss to Zac Wigzell of Southern Oregon.
