No Olympic spots for Valley women

Former Missouri Valley wrestler Clarissa Chun (top) needed to beat just one more opponent to get a spot on the first U.S. women's Olympic wrestling team. [Click to enlarge]

INDIANAPOLIS -- A couple came close, but in the end none of the current or former Missouri Valley College wrestlers were able to land berths on the first American women's squad during the Olympic Team Trials last Friday through Sunday at Indianapolis.

The five athletes currently affiliated with the Valley program were grouped into two of the four weight classes, with sophomore Stephany Lee of Honolulu, Hawaii, coming closest to a spot on the team. Lee won her first two matches in the 75 kilogram class, beating former Lady Viking Satrinina Vernon of the Gator Wrestling Club in the semifinals -- coming from behind with a takedown and throw in the second period for a 3-2 decision -- to reach the championship round.

However, Lee ran into New York Athletic Club veteran Kristie Marano, 25, the U.S. Senior Nationals champion at 63 Kg and two-time World Cup gold medalist. Marano recorded three throws, the last coming 12 seconds into the second period and resulting in a pin 22 seconds later.

Marano lost the best-of-three challenge match by a pair of decisions to Toccara Montgomery, 21, of Cumberland College (Ky.) -- twice a world silver medalist and winner of the U.S. Collegiate Nationals March 20 at Marshall.

The other Valley grappler to get past the first round was graduate student Leigh Jaynes of Burlington, N.J., ranked seventh among U.S. Senior women. After defeating former teammate Tina Arnds, 5-3, Jaynes was eliminated from contention in the 63 Kg quarterfinals, came back to win two matches and was beaten by ex-MVC wrestlers Kaci Lyle and Tori Adams to finished in sixth place.

Arnds, senior Mollie Kieth (63 Kg) and sophomore Kelly Branham (72 Kg) were each out of the tournament in two matches.

The Gator club's Clarissa Chun of Honolulu, a freshman on the Lady Vikings' inaugural group in 1999-2000, made it through the 48 Kg bracket into the challenge match. Chun led 3-2 against Sara Fulp-Allen of Menlo (Calif.) when a fleeing call with five seconds remaining forced an overtime, Chun getting a two-point exposure 2:27 into the extra frame for the victory.

In the challenge match against the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club's Patricia Miranda, 24, who had stopped Chun on a technical fall in the national finals, Chun went ahead on a takedown 40 seconds into the contest and was tied 2-2 heading into the second period. However, a Miranda takedown and gut wrench gave her a 5-2 lead, which Chun was unable to overcome during a 6-3 loss.

In the second tilt, Miranda was in command from the start -- scoring three takedowns, one to the back, during the first period for a 5-0 lead en route to a 10-0 tech fall in 4:51.

Miranda, Montgomery and the Sunkist Kids' Sara McMann, 23 -- three of the four Team USA members for the Summer Games at Athens -- are all highly experienced international wrestlers. Tela O'Donnell, 23, of the Sunkist Kids, who won the MVC International Tournament in '03, is also among the American entries.