ERIE, Pa. – The No. 9-ranked Gannon women's wrestling team improved to 2-0 in dual meets this season with a convincing 34-13 win over East Stroudsburg on Sunday afternoon at the Hammermill Center. The Golden Knights won four bouts by fall, two by forfeit and one by technical fall during the meet.
 
After earning five points with a forfeit victory at 101 lbs., the Knights quickly extended their lead to 15-0 following first-round fall victories by a duo of Gannon's nationally ranked individuals Kat Pendergrass (South Hill, Va./South Granville(NC)) and Mikayla Vega (Escalon, Calif./Escalon) at 109 and 116 lbs., respectively. Pendergrass earned the fall at the 1:21 mark, while Vega recorded a fall at 1:38.
 
East Stroudsburg would chip away at Gannon's lead during the next two contests, starting with Emily Klein recording a second-round fall over Caleeann Blarr (Girard, Pa./Girard) at the 4:17 mark. Mia Macaluso cut Gannon's advantage to 15-8 in the 130 lbs. bout by earning a 14-12 decision over nationally-ranked Anya Knappenberger (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur).
 
Next up, Gannon's Lana Perez (Honolulu, Hawaii/Moanalua) recorded another first-round fall for the Lady Knights, this time at the 1:36 mark. Stephanie Floor (Pago Pago, American Samoa/Leone) followed up Perez's performance with an impressive 10-0 technical fall win to push Gannon's lead to 24-8 with just three more weight classes remaining.
 
Avia Bibeau picked up the final ESU win of the afternoon at 155 lbs., earning a fall victory over GU's Gabby Malinowski (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) at the 1:40 mark. Annabelle Helm (Vancouver, Wash./Union), ranked No. 7 nationally, earned a forfeit win and five points for the Knights at 170 lbs., before Amara Devericks (San Clemente, Calif./Corona) rounded out the meet with a first-round (2:43) fall victory over ESU's Shola Casen to close out Gannon's 34-13 dual victory.
 
Following the 10-match starting lineup, the two teams competed in four exhibition matches to cap the afternoon. Gannon's Samantha Houser, Knappenberger and Helm earned wins as the Knights went 3-1 in the extra matches. Houser won by decision at 123 lbs., Knappenberger recorded a fall (1:44) at 136 lbs., and Helm earned a 10-0 technical fall at 191 lbs.
 
The Knights will return to action next Saturday at the Dragon Duals, hosted by Tiffin University. Meet times and opponents will be announced later this week.

Women's Wrestling Dual Results: Gannon 34, East Stroudsburg 13
101 - Ekta Arora (Shavertown, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) (GAN) won by forfeit
109 - [#6 at 101 lbs.] Kat Pendergrass (South Hill, Va./South Granville(NC)) (GAN) over Janieliz Cotto (ESU) (Fall 1:21)
116 - [#8] Mikayla Vega (Escalon, Calif./Escalon) (GAN) over Natalie Dunn (ESU) (Fall 1:38)
123 - Emily Klein (ESU) over Caleeann Blarr (Girard, Pa./Girard) (GAN) (Fall 4:17)
130 - Mia Macaluso (ESU) over [#7] Anya Knappenberger (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) (GAN) (Dec 14-12)
136 - Lana Perez (Honolulu, Hawaii/Moanalua) (GAN) over Avery Meyers (ESU) (Fall 1:36)
143 - Stephanie Floor (Pago Pago, American Samoa/Leone) (GAN) over Rachel Degiullo (ESU) (TF 10-0 0:30)
155 - Avia Bibeau (ESU) over Gabby Malinowski (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf) (GAN) (Fall 1:40)
170 - [#7] Annabelle Helm (Vancouver, Wash./Union) (GAN) won by forfeit
191 - Amara Devericks (San Clemente, Calif./Corona) (GAN) over Shola Casen (ESU) (Fall 2:43)
 
116 - EXTRA: Alanna Barberio (ESU) over Gwenyth Simpson (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area) (GAN) (Fall 0:41)
123 - EXTRA: Sam Houser (Wakarusa, Kan./Washburn Rural) (GAN) over Carmela Cancelmo (ESU) (Dec 6-4)
136 - EXTRA: Anya Knappenberger (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) (GAN) over Cameron Nunez (ESU) (Fall 1:44)
191 - EXTRA: Annabelle Helm (Vancouver, Wash./Union) (GAN) over Shola Casen (ESU) (TF 10-0 2:56)

[Rankings] – NWCA Coaches Rankings