EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa.— The Montreat College women's wrestling team began its 2025-26 campaign on Sunday at the ESU Open, hosted by East Stroudsburg University. With 19 wrestlers competing across 10 weight classes, the Cavaliers saw a dozen of their student-athletes capture at least two wins during their tournament runs.
 
As a squad, Montreat tied for 11^th out of 20 scoring programs. The Cavs tallied eight points with their performances, same as Elmira College. Lehigh University won the open team tournament with a 30-point showing.
 
Freshman Alanna Garner secured the best placement among the 19 Cavaliers in action over the weekend. Rattling off four consecutive pins, Garner marched right to the 124-lb bracket finals. There, she suffered her only defeat of the event, dropping the bout via a 10-0 tech fall. Thanks to her runner-up effort, Garner added five points to Montreat's total in the team standings.
 
Competing at 117, Sheyla Ochoa Salgado scored two points with her fifth-place finish. After losing her round of 16 battle with an 11-4 decision, Ochoa Salgado never looked back, notching five consecutive victories in the consolation rounds. Two tech falls and two decisions carried the Lake Worth, Fla. native to the fifth-place match. Ochoa Salgado completed her tournament journey and bagged two team points with a 12-9 triumph.
 
Montreat's third and final placement at the ESU Open came from Daniella Jenkins. The newcomer registered a point for the Cavs thanks to her sixth-place run in the 207-lb weight class. Starting strong with an 11-0 tech fall in the round of 16, Jenkins then bounced back from a 10-0 quarterfinal tech fall defeat. A 10-0 win of her own followed by a pin in 58 seconds catapulted Jenkins to the fifth-place bout. The freshman ultimately dropped her final match after being pinned in 2:37.
 
Two other Cavaliers recorded three or more victories on Sunday. Audrey Gribble went 4-2 at 180, accounting for her wins via a 10-0 tech fall, two pins and a 7-0 decision. Meanwhile, Morgan Repasky picked up a 3-2 record, with all three of her triumphs coming via pin. The sophomore's second loss in the 103-lb bracket came at the hands of the NCAA's No. 9-ranked wrestler.
 
Eight additional Montreat student-athletes grabbed a win over the weekend, and seven of those Cavs went 2-2. Annastasia Skoda, Ashley Saucedo, Daniela Espinal, Izzy Campbell, Nicole Lewis, Shay Potter and Sirenity Davis each delivered a 2-2 record in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Dayra Martinez provided a 1-2 mark.
 
"I am very proud of our effort and heart on the mat this weekend," said head coach Koby Reyes. "It's another step in the right direction for our program culture and standard on the wrestling mat."
 
For a look at results from the ESU Open, click here.
 
Up next, the Cavaliers dive into their initial team dual match of the season. Montreat heads to Emory & Henry University on Thursday, Nov. 6 for a clash with the Wasps. Bouts are slated to start at 6 p.m.