EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. (November 1, 2026) – The Western New England women's wrestling team opened its 2026-27 season on Sunday afternoon, competing at the East Stroudsburg University Open. The Golden Bears put together a strong opening performance, earning six top-six finishes across five weight classes. Samantha Rabkin led the Blue and Gold with a runner-up finish in the 207-pound weight class, while Sophia Gordon and Gianna Hernandez each secured fourth-place finishes in their respective brackets.
Results:
How It Happened:
103-Pound Weight Class:
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Sophia Gordon opened her season with an impressive showing in the 103-pound bracket, securing a pair of technical fall victories to advance to the semifinals. Gordon began the tournament with a 10-0 technical fall victory in just 1:05 before following with another 10-0 technical fall win at the 1:54 mark.
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Gordon's championship bracket run came to an end in the semifinals following a loss by fall at 1:32. She advanced to the third-place match, where she suffered another loss by fall at 0:44, securing a fourth-place finish in her first tournament of the season.
110-Pound Weight Class:
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Gianna Hernandez put together a strong opening performance in the 110-pound weight class, collecting three consecutive victories to advance to the semifinals. Hernandez opened with an 11-0 technical fall victory in just 22 seconds before earning a 12-1 victory at 4:09 in her second match.
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Hernandez continued her run with a 2-1 victory in her third bout, earning a spot in the semifinals. Her championship bracket run ended with a 10-0 technical fall defeat at 2:29, sending her into the third-place match.
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In her final bout of the afternoon, Hernandez fell by a 10-2 decision, concluding the tournament with a fourth-place finish and three victories to begin her season.
117-Pound Weight Class:
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Maddie Ripley, who also competes for Western New England's field hockey team, made an immediate impact in the 117-pound bracket. Ripley opened the tournament with consecutive victories by fall, securing her first win in just 11 seconds before following with another fall in 15 seconds.
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After suffering a loss by fall at 0:58 in her next match, Ripley moved into the consolation bracket, where she responded with two consecutive 10-0 technical fall victories. Both wins came at the 1:40 and 1:44 marks before Ripley earned an 11-0 technical fall victory at 1:33 to secure fifth place in the 117-pound weight class.
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Ripley concluded her opening tournament with four victories, including two falls and two technical falls.
180-Pound Weight Class:
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Kayli Morris battled through the 180-pound bracket to earn a sixth-place finish. After dropping her opening match by a 9-4 decision, Morris responded in the consolation bracket with a 9-5 victory to begin her climb through the standings.
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Morris followed with a 6-3 decision victory before recording a win by fall at 2:04, extending her consolation bracket run to three consecutive victories.
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In the fifth-place match, Morris fell by an 8-0 decision, finishing sixth overall in the 180-pound weight class. Morris completed her season-opening tournament with three victories.
207-Pound Weight Class – Shalom Feliz-Lopez:
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Shalom Feliz-Lopez earned a sixth-place finish in the 207-pound weight class, giving Western New England another top-six placement. Feliz-Lopez opened the tournament with a 10-0 technical fall defeat at 1:06 before responding with a victory by fall in just 44 seconds.
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Feliz-Lopez continued through the consolation bracket with another victory by fall, this time at 5:55, advancing to the fifth-place match.
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In the final bout, Feliz-Lopez suffered a loss by fall at 0:18, finishing sixth overall with two victories in the tournament.
207-Pound Weight Class – Samantha Rabkin:
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Samantha Rabkin delivered Western New England's highest finish of the afternoon, advancing to the championship match of the 207-pound weight class. Rabkin began her tournament with a victory by fall at 1:36 before earning a 10-0 technical fall victory at the 5:00 mark in her second bout.
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Rabkin continued her unbeaten run through the championship bracket with another victory by fall at 2:17, securing her place in the 207-pound championship match.
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In the title bout, Rabkin suffered a loss by fall at 2:41, concluding her tournament with a runner-up finish. Rabkin finished the day with three victories, including two falls and one technical fall, to lead the Golden Bears in their season opener.
Up Next on the Schedule:
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Western New England will return to action on Saturday, November 7, traveling to Northfield, Vermont, for a tri-meet against host Norwich University and the University of Bridgeport. The competition will take place at Andrews Gym, with the first match scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.
