Two Lady Vikings reach international meet finals

Valley sophomore Kelly Branham (right) won three of four matches to place second in the 67-kilogram weight class at the prestigious Dave Schultz Open. [Click to enlarge]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Behind the second-place finishes of sophomores Stephany Lee and Kelly Branham, the Missouri Valley College women's wrestling team came in fourth over the weekend in the Dave Schultz Memorial International Open at Colorado Springs, Colo.

The Lady Vikings tallied 13 points to finish behind two club teams -- Burnaby Mountain (21 points) of Canada and the Sunkist Kids (19) -- and the national squad from Germany (14). Valley was first among seven colleges, which competed with 15 clubs and three national teams.

Lee lost a pair of decisions while rolling to a silver medal at 72 kilograms: 10-5 in the first round against world silver medallist Toccara Montgomery of the New York Athletic Club -- who had won the previous meeting by fall during the NWCA National Duals last month -- and 7-6 to 2003 European champion Anita Schaetzle of Germany.

In between, Lee -- a former high school national champion from Honolulu currently ranked second in the U.S. Senior Women's poll by TheMat.com -- pinned four foes, including Katie Downing of the Sunkist Kids and the U.S. Army's Iris Smith. Downing is ranked No. 1 in the 67 Kg class and the fourth-rated Smith is a former U.S. national champion.

Branham's 67 Kg field wasn't quite as strong, but she whipped through the preliminaries in fine style by beating two ex-Vikings: the Stars and Stripes' Malissa Sherwood by technical fall and pinning the NYAC's Ashley Sword, ranked seventh at 63. The Apache Junction, Ariz., native's gold-medal clash was against Canadian champion Shannon Samler of the University of British Columbia, a loss by technical fall.

Freshman Debbi Sakai of Mililani, Hawaii, split six matches in the rugged 51 Kg class to finish fourth. Her most impressive wins were a 14-7 decision over Lauren Lindsey of Cumberland (Ky.) -- No. 2 among North American college women -- and a 10-4 win against India's Neha Rathi.

A 6-1 decision over former Valley all-American Grace Magnussen of the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club gained 10th place for sophomore Brooke Bogren (59 Kg), who missed the cut for the medal matches due to a narrow 6-2 loss to finalist Lauren Lamb of the Michigan Wrestling Club -- No. 4 among U.S. senior women at 63 Kg.

Senior Kiersten Hyatt (55), sophomore Keli Hinton (55) and freshman Maika Watanabe (51) and Clarissa Calibuso (59) also represented MVC at the meet.

The Lady Vikings are scheduled to be in Forest Grove, Ore., Friday and Saturday for the College National Duals.