CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- Third-ranked North Central College women's wrestling team delivered one of the biggest statements of the season on Saturday, knocking off the top two teams in the nation at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals. The Cardinals defeated top-ranked University of Iowa in the semifinal, handing the Hawkeyes their first loss in program history before going on to defeat No. 2 McKendree University in the finals to claim the first national dual title in program history.

North Central (10-2) produced a 4-0 record on the weekend to win the title while McKendree was awarded a runner-up finish. Iowa took third after taking down Grand Valley State University in the third-place match.

North Central 23, Iowa 21

Iowa picked up the first points of the match as top-ranked Valarie Solorio defeated Bri Graves at 103-points with a 12-0 technical fall to go up 4-0. Fourth-ranked Kaelani Shufeldt answered with an upset win over No. 2 Nyla Valencia, pinning Valencia at the 5:38 mark to add five points for the Cardinals. 

Adding to her impressive freshman campaign, fifth-ranked Riley Rayome capitalized in the 117 pound bout, scoring three team points with an upset win over No. 4 Brianna Gonzalez via a 3-3 decision win by criteria.

The Cardinals owned an 8-5 advantage with third-ranked Sara Sterner on deck in the 124 weight class. Sterner made quick work of fifth-ranked Cali Leng, pinning the Hawkeye in 1:45 to put North Central ahead 13-5.

No. 9 Yele Aycock battled top-ranked Karlee Brooks at 131 pounds, with Aycock holding Brooks to an 8-4 decision win. Another tough matchup at 138 pounds saw Claire DiCugno take on No. 3 Skye Realin where Realin came away with the criteria win (6-6 decision). The Cardinals still maintained a 15-11 lead with four matches remaining. 

A top-two matchup at 145 pounds featured No. 1 Bella Mir and No. 2 Reese Larramendy where Larramendy claimed the 10-4 decision win. Top-ranked Kennedy Blades secured an 11-1 technical fall win against No. 8 Taylor Graveman (160) to take an 18-17 lead over North Central. Iowa extended the lead to 21-18 after Kylie Welker defeated Jael Miller in an 8-2 decision in the 180-pound bout. 

Trailing by three heading into the final match, senior Dasia Yearby delivered a major upset over second-ranked Jaycee Foeller, as she utilized just over a minute and a half (1:38) for the match-winning pin to claim the 23-21 victory.

The marquee win boosted North Central's dual record to 9-2 while snapping Iowa's 42 match win streak. The Cardinals later met No. 2 McKendree University in the finals, looking to avenge a loss from early in the season.  

North Central 21, McKendree 18

Starting off the championship match at 103 pounds, Graves fell to second-ranked Heather Crull via technical fall (15-4). Continuing a strong weekend of competition, fourth-ranked Shufeldt answered at 110 pounds with a narrow 3-2 decision over top-ranked Gabrielle Tedesco as the Cardinals trailed 5-4. 

In the 117 pound match, No. 1 Yu Sakamoto claimed an 8-2 decision win over Rayome, just before third-ranked Sterner scored the upset win over top-ranked Shelby Moore via a narrow 5-3 decision. Sterner, who was deadlocked at 3-3 with Moore late in the match, scored two just before time expired.

The Cardinals and the Bearcats continued to trade bouts with Cameron Guerin taking down Grace Stem in a 12-6 decision in the 131-pound match to extend McKendree's lead to 12-9. At 138 pounds, DiCugno won the battle against No. 2 ranked Haylie Jaffe in a close 5-4 decision to keep the Cardinals within one at 13-12 but it was Mir's (145) win by decision (9-0) over Alexis Gomez that moved North Central into the lead, 15-13. 

Graveman kept the momentum going with an 8-6 decision over Jasmine Robinson as the Cardinal advantage grew to four, 18-14. Second-ranked Destiny Rodriguez managed to claim a 6-0 decision against Miller to put the Bearcats back within one heading into the final bout. 

Wrestling up a weight class, Shenita Lawson, who ranks fourth at 180-pounds, outlasted Tristan Kelly in a 2-2 decision win by criteria to secure North Central's NWCA National Duals team win.