Aleksandra Bieszczad removed the red band from around her ankle, shook hands with the opposing coach and walked back toward the bench.
Her smile said it all.
University of Mount Olive head women’s wrestling coach Dan Willis greeted the freshman with a high-five and a hug.
“Are you kidding me?” he said.
Bieszczad rallied to pin 170-pounder Mina Hicks, and teammate Jadą Arnold received a match-ending forfeit as UMO knocked off in-state rival Montreat College, 24-18, on Wednesday evening.
In a battle of first-year programs, the Trojans (2-0 overall) emerged victorious in three of seven contested individual bouts and picked up two forfeits.
Hicks notched the initial takedown and turned Bieszczad on her back early in the opening period. However, Bieszczad patiently wiggled out of trouble, turned the tables and pinned Hicks to the mat.
Bieszczad filed her first career win.
“I don’t think she was favored to win,” Willis said. “She works hard every day and believes in herself, and sure enough she came out here and performed [tonight].
“Coming in, I watched video on a lot of their [Montreat] wrestlers and I thought it was going to be an uphill battle. We had a few go our way … girls had a little bit of fight in them, had about three or four upsets which kept us in the match.”
UMO’s Charlene Lyle picked up a forfeit at 101 pounds.
The Cavaliers (0-1) prevailed at 116 and 123 pounds, but quickly lost the momentum. The Trojans’ Isabel Rodriguez earned a crowd-pleasing pin at 130 pounds and Chloe Lawler followed with a physical, 10-5 decision over Michaiah Allen.
A vote-getter in this week’s NAIA national poll, Montreat stormed in front 18-14 with back-to-back falls.
That set the table for Bieszczad.
“Very pleased,” said UMO assistant coach Troy Bell. “I almost feel like we’re ahead of schedule, was hoping to be here by Christmas break. I remind them to take ownership of their success, but also take ownership of your failure so that way you avoid failure.
“It was not about the winning, but about the performance.”
UMO is the guest of Presbyterian College on Dec. 4, and returns home Dec. 11 for the Trojan Duals that includes Emory & Henry, St. Andrews University and Greensboro College.
