Last-Minute Lineup Twist Adds Surprise Spark to Bulldog Women’s Tournament Run
ATHERTON, Calif. – January 1, 2016
The Bulldog women’s wrestling team kicked off the new year with a gutsy showing at the 2016 Menlo Open, hosted by Menlo College in Atherton, Calif. The tournament featured a loaded field of WCWA contenders, including nationally ranked programs like Simon Fraser University, Menlo College, and Southwestern Oregon Community College.
Tournament Recap
Originally, Jessica Garcia (101 lbs) was slated to be the team’s sole competitor. She stepped onto the mat with poise, facing off against athletes from Simon Fraser and Menlo College. Though she dropped both matches, the experience added another layer of high-level competition to her season resume.
However, the real twist came just before weigh-ins.
Rossana Aguilar (123 lbs), who had accompanied the team for moral support, was surprised to learn she’d be competing after all. Having just returned from a family vacation, Aguilar hadn’t planned on entering the tournament. But assistant coach and redshirt Jovany Gonzalez had other plans.
“Coach Jovany insisted I bring my wrestling shoes and club warm-ups to help Jessica warm up,” said Aguilar. “He also told me to bring a towel and change of clothes so I could rinse off after warmups. I didn’t put two and two together until weigh-ins were starting and he handed me a singlet and told me to line up at my closest weight with a three-pound allowance. I didn’t even get a chance to get anxious about competing.”
Aguilar was entered into the 123-pound bracket and held her own against two strong opponents from Southwestern Oregon Community College, a program that also competes in the NCWA postseason. Despite coming up short, Aguilar’s matches were highly competitive.
“I didn’t expect to wrestle at the tournament, so I figured I wouldn’t sweat the results if I lost badly,” Aguilar added. “I went out there and just let it fly and was able to hit my stuff. Though I did start to get tired in the tail end of the matches,” she laughed.
The women’s team continues to build experience in its inaugural full season, showing heart, adaptability, and a bit of improvisation as it faces some of the program’s toughest opponents.
Next Up
The men’s squad returns to competition on February 6, 2016, at the Gauntlet Invitational in Los Angeles, where they’ll face off against many of the top NCWA West Coast Conference programs.
