Four NIACC women seek finals berths

NIACC's Chiara Barbieri moved to Saturday morning's national semifinals with a quarterfinal round win Friday.
NIACC's Chiara Barbieri moved to Saturday morning's national semifinals with a quarterfinal round win Friday.
March 3, 2023

COUNCIL BLUFFS - The NIACC women's wrestling team, which is in its first season of existence, will have four competitors Saturday morning in the national semifinals.

NIACC's Chiara Barbieri (101), Tatiana Hernandez (109), Laken Lienhard (143) and Valerie Smith (235) all picked up quarterfinal wins Friday at the NJCAA women's wrestling invitational.

At 101 pounds, the fifth-ranked Barbieri (7-1) faces Iowa Western's second-ranked Nicole Montojo in the semifinals, which start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

At 109 pounds, the second-ranked Hernandez (8-2) takes on Northwest Kansas Tech's sixth-ranked Ryasia McDougle in her semifinal bout.

At 143 pounds, the top-ranked Lienhard (8-3) battles Snow's fifth-ranked Ashlea Larson in her semifinal contest.

At 235 pounds, the fourth-ranked Smith (5-2) will face Indian Hills' top-ranked Eliana Bammarito in her semifinal bout.