Elmira, N.Y. – The Wilkes University women's wrestling team made its program debut at the NCAA Region 1 Tournament on Saturday as three wrestlers remain alive for fifth place at the LECOM Event Center.
 
Wilkes stands in 9^th place in the team standings with 40.5 points. Of the nine Colonel wrestlers who entered the event, three remain alive to place in Sunday's medal rounds.
 
At 117-pounds, Grace Riley (Wood Ridge, NJ/Paramus Catholic) opened the tournament with a fall over Karley Perrini of Felician in 2:16. She followed that with another fall over Addisyn Herdic in 2:37 of Norwich to reach the semifinals. There Riley fell by a 10-4 decision to Sacred Heart's Nohea Moniz before dropping an 18-7 technical fall to Dianna Pineda of Alfred States in the consolations. Riley remains alive for fifth place as she will wrestle New England College's Madeline Li in the fifth place bout on Sunday.
 
At 138-pounds, Milly Hughes (Jefferson, GA/Jefferson) received a bye in the opening round before pinning Felician's Line Rodriguez in 51 seconds to move to the semifinals. Hughes fell by fall against top-seed Jaclyn Dehney of New England College before suffering another pinfall loss in the consolations. Hughes will wrestle in the fifth place bout Sunday against third-seeded Gabby Bradigan of Elmira.
 
Carina Rivera (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) was the final wrestler who will continue into day two action. Rivera, wrestling at 180-pounds opened with a bye before dropping her second match by fall to Norwich's Ay'Seante Ross in 1:06. Rivera then wrestled back with a fall in 3:45 and 7-2 decision to reach the consolation semifinals where she fell by a 6-0 decision to fourth-seeded Fabiana Josa of New Jersey City. Rivera will wrestle fifth-seeded Riley Wentlent of D'Youville in the fifth place bout tomorrow.
 
Wrestling begins tomorrow (Sunday) at 11:00 a.m.