STEVENS POINT, Wis. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's wrestling team opened its season at the Pointer Open, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Saturday, Nov. 1.

Freshman Beyonce Espinosa (Homestead, Fla.-Homeschool) raced through the purple bracket 124-pound weight class in her first ever collegiate invite. She began with a 10-0 technical fall defeat of Kaylee Martinez of Augustana College to notch the first win of her college career. In the semifinals, Espinosa took down Kamdyn Sutter (Unattached), also winning 10-0 on a technical fall. In the championship, Espinosa made quick work of North Central College's Gracie Gaurino, as she notched her first collegiate pin in 1:58.

In the purple 145-pound bracket, freshman Kennedy Murray (Evanston, Ill. -Evanston) opened her day by pinning Lara Zimmerman of UW-Stevens Point, just before the four-minute mark when leading 5-0, collecting her first win in her collegiate debut. She followed with her second pin of the day, this time against Maya Assad-Thompson (Unattached) in 3:59. Her semi-final opponent, Wartburg's Annabel Blanchard trailed 7-0 before Murray earned her third pin of the invite. In the finals, she earned a 3-2 decision over Ella Gahl of Manchester University.

Joining her first-year teammates in the championship round, 207-pounder Angel Hill (San Diego, Calif.- Mira Mesa) earned a bye through the first round of the purple bracket before dispatching Aubrey Miller-Ramirez (Lakeland University) 2:30 later via a pin to notch her first collegiate win and pin. In the semi-finals, Hill posted pin number two, defeating Elmhurst University's Anjali Gonzalez in 83 seconds. She ended her day with a victory in the championship over Isabel Ayana (Manchester) via a 10-9 decision.

Also placing for IWU was freshmen Hayley McNeal (Onaway, Idaho.-Potlatch), who finished third in the 160-pound purple bracket, Jillian Giller (Wilmette, Ill.-New Trier) with a sixth place effort at 138 pounds, Leslie Guzman (Fort Worth, Texas.-South Hills) finished sixth at 103 pounds, and 117-pounder Evelynn Garcia (Houston, Texas.- Cypress Springs) finished fifth.

The Titans are back in action Sunday, Nov. 9 at the Lakeland Duals where they will take on Lakeland University, UW-Stevens Point, and Elmhurst.