Ceja, a sophomore from Winters, Calif., placed third at the York Open in Nebraska. After dropping her first match of the tournament to third-ranked Myranda Valazquez of Jamestown, Vanessa, ranked 15th in the NAIA, rallied for five straight wins.
She defeated 16th-ranked Ashley Cook of Lyon by 8-0 decision and 12th-ranked Andrea Prince of Jamestown by 9-0 decision. After pinning Emilee Demann of St. Mary in just 50 seconds, Vanessa earned a rematch against Valazquez and won by injury default. Finally, in the third-place match, Vanessa pinned 18th-ranked Audriana Beatie of York in 5:45.
Vanessa and the rest of the sixth-ranked Pioneer women join the Wayland men in hosting Texas Wesleyan in a dual starting at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Laney Center.
Â