EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The first meet of the season is always special, but Sunday's contest had extra meaning for the Sacred Heart University women's wrestling team. Just the second Division I program in the country, the Pioneers competed for the first time in program history at the East Stroudsburg Open.
 
Competing with only five wrestlers, the Pioneers placed sixth with 31 points. Tiffin won the meet with 113 points.
 
"I knew it was going to be a good day, I just didn't know how good," SHU head coach Paulina Biega said. "The only way from here is up and I'm very proud of them and their effort. There were definitely some butterflies this morning, but everyone was very excited. They were a team today and that's the best feeling."
 
Highlighting the day was a victory by Ashley Reed at 191 pounds. Fellow rookie Madison Sandquist placed second at 143 pounds. 
 
"I think both of them are in a very good spot, but I think they will be even better at the end of the season," Biega added. "Ashley was about 20 pounds lighter than everyone else in her weight class, but that shows how powerful she is."
 
Reed got a bye into the quarterfinals of 191 pounds then wasted little time in defeating ESU's Shola Cascen with a 10-0 tech fall. The Southington, Conn. native advanced to the finals with an 11-2 win over Kalani Rivas from Limestone. Reed earned the championship by pinning NJCU's Sandra Guerrero at the 1:01 mark.
 
Sandquist received a first-round bye then advanced to the semis when she recorded a 10-0 tech fall versus Paige Lenhardt from Tiffin. The Humble, Texas native cruised to the finals by taking down Limestone's Mika Walter, 8-0. Unfortunately, Sandquist couldn't pull out the championship, falling 11-0 to Kendall Bostelman from Wyoming Seminary
 
It took just 21 seconds for the first victory in program history when Savannah Vanse pinned East Stroudsburg's Carmelo Cancelmo at 136 pounds. Vanse made her way into the semifinals by pinning NJCU's Claire Daity in 1:12. She suffered her first loss to Adrian's Zoe Nowicki, but pinned Hannah Mains from Limestone in just 1:11 to make it to the third-place match. Vanse was pinned by Lock Haven's Madison Matta in 5:25.
 
Also recording a pair of falls to start her career was Jacklyn Smith at 170 pounds. She upset the top seed Nyere Grant from Tiffin in 1:41 then pinned Adrian's Sienna Lejeue to get into the semis. Smith was beaten in the semifinals and dropped her two matches in the consolation bracket.
 
Khadijah Sanusi lost her first round match at 155 pounds, but came back for the 12-0 tech fall over Leslie Monterrosa of Elmira College. Unfortunately, her day was ended in a 9-0 loss to EC's Skylah Chakouian in the consolation bracket. 
 
Sacred Heart is on the road next weekend for the Adrian Open.