By reaching the 72-kilogram finals at the U.S. Nationals, Lady Vikings sophomore Stephany Lee (top) assured herself a spot in the Olympic Trials next month. [Click to enlarge]

LAS VEGAS -- Several members of the Missouri Valley College women's wrestling team are still in the running for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the 2004 Summer Games in Greece.

Sophomore Stephany Lee and freshman Debbi Sakai made the finals at the U.S. National Championships Thursday at Las Vegas, both dropping tilts against the highest-ranked wrestlers in their age groups, according to The Mat.com's latest Senior Women's poll.

Sophomore Kelly Branham's fourth-place showing kept her Olympic hopes alive. Senior Tina Arnd's eighth place at 63 kilograms also made the cut.

The only roadblock to a gold medal for Lee was once again Cumberland (Ky.) junior Tocarra Montgomery, a three-time World silver medalist who won her fourth national title with a 3-1 decision in the 72-kilogram finals. Otherwise, the third-ranked Honolulu, Hawaii, native streaked through the preliminary with a technical fall over former Lady Viking all-American Donell Bradley and a pin of veteran Iris Smith of the U.S. Army.

Sakai, No. 2 at 51 Kg, won two tech falls and then beat Danielle Hobeika of the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club, 5-4, to get into the title round. There the Mililani, Hawaii, product was matched against defending champion Malinda Ripley of the Sunkist Kids, who notched an 11-0 victory in 2:24.

Branham won two of her first three matches, splitting falls and winning a tech, before running up against another former Valley wrestler in the 67-Kg third-place contest -- dropping an 11-4 decision to the Stars and Stripes' Malissa Sherwood.

The Lady Vikings claimed three more medals, with sophomore Brooke Bogren defeating senior teammate Kiersten Hyatt with a fall in 1:19 in the 59-Kg seventh-place match. Two 59-Kg freshmen won two of three contests before being eliminated by other MVC grapplers, Julie Duarte nipped by Hyatt, 6-2, and Erika Chew stopped in 1:30 by Bogren on a 10-0 count.

Seniors Mollie Kieth (63 Kg) and Sandra Szendrey (51), sophomore Danielle Bowen (51) and freshman Maika Watanabe (55) also picked up wins during the meet. Valley was often plagued by tough early draws against highly-experienced foes -- such as first-round clashes pitting Watanabe against the Sunkist Kids' Jenny Wong, freshman Kayci Thompson (48) versus College Nationals champion Sara Fulp-Allen of Menlo (Calif.), freshman Clarissa Calibuso meeting eventual finalist Lauren Lamb of the Michigan Wrestling Club and Bowen taking on Ripley.

Such has been the quality of the program during its five years that several ex-Vikings medaled -- including second-place Clarissa Chun of the Gator Wrestling Club and the likes of Sherwood, Tonya Evinger, Tori Adams, Kaci Lyle and Satrinina Vernon.

Lee and Arnds will each have a shot at making Team USA for the Summer Games at Athens in their usual weight groups during the U.S. Olympic Trials, set for May 21-23 at Indianapolis. Sakai and Branham will have to move either up or down into one of the four Olympic divisions.

Kieth had already qualified for the trials by winning at the University Nationals, but other current and former Valley wrestlers -- such as Hyatt, Szendrey and '03 grad Leigh Jaynes -- still have a chance to advance through regional tournaments being held in New York and New Orleans during the next two weeks.