#2 Campbellsville vs. #5 Life Women's Collegiate Dual Preview

McKayla Campbell photo courtesy of Campbellsvile athletics; Julia Vidallon photo courtesy of Life Athletics

Friday evening, one of the biggest dual meets of the women's collegiate season is on tap as Lee Miracle's #2 Campbellsville Lady Tigers hit the road for a clash with #5 Life. The Running Eagles, led by Ashley Sword, have been dominant in their first four duals of the year. They have not surrendered more than nine team points in any contest. Campbellsville has only seen official action in one dual and they soundly beat Indiana Tech, 39-9. This matchup will provide plenty of juicy individual bouts. There is the possibility that seven of the ten matches feature a ranked competitor on each side. That shouldn't come as a surprise since both programs have experienced a ton of recent success on the recruiting trail. TOM has Campbellsville winning the recruiting race for the Class of 2019 , with Life coming in second place. The 2020 version had the Lady Tigers at #7 and the Running Eagles #14. 

The event itself is actually a tri-meet and Brewton-Parker will wrestle each school afterward. Live streaming for the dual can be found here. The Campbellsville/Life match will take place at 3pm EST. 

Below we have a quick look at each of these squads. 

101 - #12 Mia Diaz/Gabrielle Medeiros (Campbellsville) vs. Unity Cordova (Life)

Texas state finalist Mia Diaz could make her dual debut for Campbellsville or the nod could go to fellow freshman Gabrielle Medeiros. Gabrielle was a California state qualifier in each of the last two years. Life can counter with a freshman, also from California, Unity Cordova. Unity has been strong in the early going for Life, earning wins over two ranked opponents at the Patriot Duals. 

109 - #3 McKayla Campbell/Katelin Barnett/Elena Hughes (Campbellsville) vs.#6 Kory Phillips/#10 Katalina Bartelt (Life)

There's a lot of possibilities for both head coaches at 109 lbs. The most credentialed is Campbellsville's McKayla Campbell, who has made the WCWA finals in each of the last two seasons. Campbell also made a Cadet World team in 2015. Juniors Katelin Barnett and Elena Hughes are also possibilities for the Lady Tigers. Barnett went 7-4 overall in 2019-20, while Hughes was 8-5. Both of Life's options, Kory Phillips and Katalina Bartelt, are currently ranked in the top-ten. Bartelt has done well thus far, but had to injury default out of a match against Indiana Tech. Phillips is a transfer from SW Oregon CC. In 2020, Phillips finished eighth at WCWA's at this weight. 

116 - #6 Charlotte Fowler (Campbellsville) vs. #1 Peyton Prussin (Life)

Perhaps the match of the afternoon takes place at 116 lbs when #6 Charlotte Fowler meets top-ranked Peyton Prussin. Fowler is a three-time WCWA All-American who finished third in 2018 and 2020. She also was a Mid-South Conference runner-up in 2020 and was selected to compete at the "Beat the Streets NYC" event in September. Prussin did not compete in 2019-20 but was considered one of the top women in the Class of 2019. Thus far, she has been dominant in 2020-21, going 10-0 without surrendering a single point in any of her wins. 

123 - #20 Leilah Castro/Mia Rodriguez/Ciera Broukal (Campbellsville) vs. #3 Julia Vidallon (Life)

Campbellsville has plenty of options at 123 lbs, while Life only needs one wrestler here. Leilah Castro was one of the top recruits in the Class of 2020 and was a Cadet World teamer in 2018. In the Lady Tigers' first dual of the year, against Indiana Tech, Mia Rodriguez was sent out at 123 and responded with a first-period fall. Ciera Broukal is also available. Broukal only saw action in three matches last year but won all three by fall. Life counters with their first national champion, Julia Vidallon. Julia is also unbeaten in 2021 and recently tore through the field at the Warrior Open. 

130 - #2 Katlyn Pizzo/Angela Vitiritti/Jacqueline Ghent (Campbellsville) vs. #9 Briana Kellin/#11 Riley Dalrymple (Life)

More depth is on display for Campbellsville as they can turn to one of three young women at 130 lbs. Katlyn Pizzo is a returning WCWA national runner-up and currently holds the national number two ranking. 2019-20 was a breakout campaign for Pizzo, who went 23-2 and was undefeated in duals. Angela Vitiritti and Jacqueline Ghent are both sophomores that gained valuable experience last season. Life has a pair of ranked women listed at both 130 and 136. One would assume Coach Sword will try and figure which matchup is most favorable for her team and bump either Briana Kellin or Riley Dalrymple to 136. Kellin is a transfer from King University who had an impressive 17-5 record as a sophomore in 2018-19. Freshman Riley Dalrymple has already made her presence known. She picked up NAIA Women's Wrestler of the Week honors in November after going 5-0 at the Patriot Duals. 

136 - #9 Randi Robison (Campbellsville) vs. #9 Briana Kellin/#11 Riley Dalrymple (Life)

Either Kellin or Dalrymple will have their hands full with ninth-ranked Randi Robison. As a freshman, in 2019-20, Robison finished sixth at WCWA Nationals. Last year, Robison was able to earn falls in 12 of her 20 wins. 

143 - #3 Alexia Foca/#15 Emma Walker (Campbellsville) vs. #11 Hailey Finn (Life)

However, things shake out at 143 lbs, we should see a pair of ranked women collide. Campbellsville has two in Alexia Foca and Emma Walker. Foca is a two-time WCWA fourth-place finisher and one of the Lady Tigers' four seniors. Walker is a freshman that came to Campbellsville after winning three state titles. She was thrust into the starting role against Indiana Tech and responded with a tech fall. Hailey Finn was a match away from earning WCWA All-American status as a freshman in 2019. At the Warrior Open, she avenged one of her early-season losses while pinning Indiana Tech's Samantha Snow in the third-place bout. 

155 - Kendra Thompson (Campbellsville) vs. #6 Destinee Rivera (Life)

Things should be a little more cut-and-dry for Campbellsville at 155. Sophomore Kendra Thompson is the only wrestler listed at this weight. Thompson was a Mid-South runner-up last season and won by fall in her only dual appearance this season. Destinee Rivera has started the season impressively, going undefeated at the Patriot Duals, though she hasn't been in action since late November. Rivera placed fifth at the 2019 NAIA National Tournament. 

170 - #2 Alexandra Castillo/Cassandra Smith (Campbellsville) vs. #3 Jordan Nelson (Life)

This bout has the potential to be a national final or semifinal, with second-ranked Alexandra Castillo meeting number three, Jordan Nelson. Castillo is a two-time WCWA All-American and claimed the national title at 191 lbs last season. She also was a fifth-place finisher at the NAIA Championships in 2019. In Campbellsville's only dual of the season, Cassandra Smith got the start at 170. The sophomore who went 4-2 last season responded with a pin in only :36. Nelson was highlighted with her selection to compete at Iowa's Showdown Open in November. Recently, Jordan encountered some stiff competition at the Warrior Open, but she managed to go unbeaten and claim a tournament title. 

191 - Liliana Vergara/Brianna Staebler (Campbellsville) vs. #10 Catherine Palmieri/#13 Katie Moore (Life)

Sophomore Liliana Vergara was called upon in Campbellsville's lone dual meet of the year and received a forfeit. She was 7-4 during the 2019-20 campaign. One interesting note is seeing Brianna Staebler's name on the Tiger depth chart. Apparently, Staebler has graduated early and rolled at Campbellsville. She was a 16U National Champion in 2019, along with taking fourth in the Junior tournament. She was considered one of the top wrestlers in the Class of 2021. Life can counter with a pair of talented grapplers with Catherine Palmieri and Katie Moore. Palmieri is unbeaten on the year and comes in after claiming titles at the Warrior Open and the Patriot Duals Individual event. Her teammate Katie Moore has been impressive as a freshman. Moore's only loss thus far came at the hands of Palmieri. She was a double Fargo All-American back in 2018.



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