SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Dakota Wesleyan Women's Wrestling traveled east to take on the Sioux Falls Cougars in the team's first dual meet of the season.
The Tigers would give up five forfeit victories throughout the lineup, but the core of athletes that competed had a solid showing against the upper level of competition in Sioux Falls. The dual started at 103, which was open for DWU, but at 110, Cerys Gardner carried her momentum from before the holiday break by recording a pinfall in the first period with an official final time of 2:23, which tied the team score back up at 5-5. Sioux Falls won the next five matches in the lineup, recording wins at 117 over Kaylei Hinck and a favorable showing against Tiara Faehnrich at 145, but Olivia Smith turned the tide for Dakota Wesleyan by pulling out a gutsy 3-2 win at the 160-pound weight class against Villarreal of USF. Good defense late in the match secured Smith the win to add three points to DWU's team score. A forfeit and technical fall from ranked 207-pounder Adam over DWU's Kaitlin Gay set the dual to a final score of 38-9 in favor of the Cougars.
DWU Women's Wrestling will be back in action at the Beaver Open on Saturday, December 6th, out in Storm Lake, Iowa. See the full 2025-26 schedule here.