FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ja. (Feb. 20) – The Waynesburg University women's wrestling team made its first foray into the NCAA postseason when it competed in day one of the two-day NCAA Women's Region III Championships. The event was hosted by Emmanuel University in Franklin Springs, Ga.
 
A pair of Yellow Jackets wrestled their way back through consolations to qualify for day two of the tournament. Freshman Anastasia Curitti (Fernley, Nev. / Coral Academy of Sciences) and sophomore Ja'Khia Matthews (Phoenix, Ariz. / Albermarle) both advanced to Saturday with an eye on third place and a spot in the national championships.
 
After dropping her first match of the day at 124 pounds, Curitti bounced back with a pair of first-period pins to reach the consolation quarterfinals. She picked up her first collegiate postseason win by sticking Lincoln Memorial's Riley Flickinger in just 43 seconds and needed just 58 seconds to do the same to Emory & Henry's Natalia Sanchez.
 
Curitti will face off with Southern Virginia's Andrea Castro in her first bout tomorrow.
 
Matthews looked like she would advance in the championship side of the 207-pound bracket after building a 7-2 lead in her opening bout. Unfortunately, she was put to her back and pinned, sending her into consolations. Once in wrestle-backs, Matthews received a bye and scored an 8-1 victory bonus win (2:01) over Huntingdon's Nomaneta Iopu.
 
Matthews next faces McDaniel's Kayla Carter.
 
Action is scheduled to get underway tomorrow at 9 a.m.