DOANED

By Brandon Petersen

Natalie Gonzales didn't waste a moment at the Doane Open Saturday in Crete, Neb.

In a field packed with talent inside the roaring Fuhrer Field House, she fought her way to a 3–1 day at 180 pounds, pushing the pace in every match and giving Westcliff the steady anchor it needed through a long day of brackets and back-to-backs.

Her presence on the mat helped set the tone for the Warriors, who put together perhaps their most competitive tournament effort of the young season.

Westcliff's women didn't shy away from ranked opponents, and it showed.

Vanessa Alvarado delivered two of the day's biggest upsets with wins over the No. 11 and No. 19 wrestlers in the NAIA, then came within a takedown of the finals before falling 4–2 to the No. 3 seed.

Alvarado is a humble, quiet young woman, but on the mat, she's a force to be reckoned with, one who is opening eyes as she continues to impress.

At 207, Fernanda Canedo added a ranked win of her own, controlling the pace and showing the kind of composure the staff has been pushing for week after week. Canedo is one of Westcliff's anchors, and she has a knack for finishing duals with hard-fought wins.

Genesis Rivera fought her way to a 2–2 finish at 180, and several Warriors battled deep into their draws, trading tight matches against strong Midwest opposition.

"Overall, the girls wrestled very tough," Westcliff head coach D'Rell Gist said. "They showed heart and wrestled until the very end of every match. We had some huge wins on the day.

"Vanessa Alvarado had two nationally ranked wins and barely lost 4–2 in the semifinals to the No. 3 girl in the NAIA. Fernanda Canedo had a nationally ranked win as well and showed a lot of composure in her matches.

"Overall, I'm proud of all the girls, not only with how they performed but how they responded to losses and adversity. Week by week we keep getting better and I'm excited for what's to come."

FULL RESULTS: Doane Open – Crete, Nebraska

110: Barbara Greenberg 2–2
117: Tianna Fernandez 1–2
124: Vanessa Alvarado 2–2 (wins over No. 11 and No. 19 NAIA)
131: Abby Mendoza 0–2
138: Kaelyn Siason 1–2
145: Jeslyn Ledezma 0–2
145: Berlyn Davis 0–2
180: Genesis Rivera 2–2
180: Natalie Gonzales 3–1
207: Fernanda Canedo 2–2 (win over No. 12 NAIA)