The 22nd Annual Baraka Bouts semifinals featured 16 matchups and drew large crowds of supporters, including many students who came to support their classmates.
Katie “Beast” Sullivan (Gold) def. Monica “MC4” Caponigro (Blue)
In the first fight of the night, the off-campus senior from Saginaw, Michigan, Sullivan was matched up against South Bend native and Pasquerilla East resident, Caponigro, who made her tournament debut as she had a bye last week. The fight started off slow as there was a lot of blocking and returning but both fighters took the aggressive route taking turns throwing punches as the rounds continued. By unanimous decision, Sullivan took the win in the opening fight.
Jaylene “Detonator” Diaz (Gold) def. Riley “No Smiley” Vandevelde (Blue)
From Houston, Texas and a resident of Breen-Phillips Hall, fifth-year Diaz made her second appearance in the tournament as she faced off against senior Vandevelde. The Sierra Madre, California native and Pasquerilla East resident made her first appearance in the ring. Diaz resorted to the defensive strategy while Vandevelde went with the more confrontational route. Vandevelde took the win by unanimous decision.
Hope “The Wonder” Wanken (Blue) def. Kim “The Grill Master” Nguyen (Gold)
Wanken, a Lewis Hall resident from Rosemount, Minnesota, faced off against senior Nguyen of Walsh Hall, who advanced due to a bye in the previous round. The fighters looked to use a mixture of fast and slow based fighting before each abandoning that strategy. By split decision, Wanken took her second win of the Bouts.
Kiska The Hitwoman” Porter (Gold) def. Kylie “Scrappy Cat” Carney (Blue)
This fight featured two new fighters, who each had a first round bye. Carney is a sophomore from Somers, NY and represented Johnson Family Hall. Her opponent was from Columbus, Ohio and represented Breen-Phillips Hall. Porter used a more defensive approach but Carney kept her strategy of pushing and throwing punches throughout the match. Throughout the entire match the two went back and forth until a blow from Porter caused Carney to fall and caused a break in the match in the third round. Porter took the win by unanimous decision.
Ocean “The Matador” Leto (Gold) def. Jenna “Lilbrauns” Braun (Blue)
Braun, a senior hailing from Houston, Texas and a representative of Lewis Hall faced off against junior Welsh Family Hall representative Leto from Key West, Florida. Each had first round byes. Leto started off strong as she delivered multiple punches but the referee intervened. In a quick return, Braun started adding punches of her own in a similar fashion. Leto took a more low approach with hits to the chest and stomach while Braun threw most of her punches at the head level in the second round. The final round looked strong for Braun as she delivered strong direct blows to Leto left and right until Leto fought back and knocked Braun off her feet. By split decision, Leto got her first win of the tournament.
Elle “The Greek Freak” Strogilos (Gold) def. Lindsey “The Beater” Weeter (Blue)
Winning her fight last week, Virginia native and Flaherty Hall representative, sophomore Weeter returned to the ring to face a fellow Flaherty resident. Senior Strogilos from Schererville, Indiana saw the ring for the first time this year after a bye last week. Strogilos was no stranger to the ring as she delivered blows and pushed Weeter into a corner. The third round saw both fighters throw punches back forth. The two moved around the ring delivering blows but as Weeter took a step back to breath, Strogilos took the opportunity to deliver strong right and left hooks to Weeter’s head. By unanimous decision, Strogilos took the win.
Layann “Simba” Wardeh (Blue) def. Caroline “Ba Ba Ba” Flannery (Gold)
As the energy remained high in the ballroom, senior Flannery from New York took on the junior from Amman, Jordan and Lewis Hall. Wardeh made her debut in the tournament in the fight. Both competitors took an attack route, Wardeh did not hesitate as she delivered multiple uppercuts as well as many different hook combinations. Flannery almost hugged Wardeh and took her to the ground. By unanimous decision, Wardeh claimed the win.
Lauren “Blondie” Buetow (Gold) def. Lilly “The Lineback” Nadler (Blue)
The first year from Holyoke, Massachusetts and representing Flaherty Hall, Nadler makes her second appearance in the Baraka Bout’s tournament while senior Wisconsin native Buetow made her debut. Nadler went low, delivering blows to the stomach while Buetow focused on her opponent's head. The second round started with both fighters exchanging blows but slowed down as the two had a five second stare-down before delivering more punches. By unanimous decision, Buetow took the win over Nadler.
Tess “Slippin Jimmy” Kesler (Blue) def. Jude Nofal (Gold)
From the state of New Jersey and representative of Walsh Hall, junior Kesler appeared. On the other side of the ring, first-year from Amman, Jordan and resident of Lewis Hall, Nofal arrived, each making their debut in the tournament. Kesler came out strong in the first round as she threw multiple punches towards Nofal but the first year added on punches of her own. The two seemed to both use a defensive strategy in the second round as not many punches came from either competitor. Nofal seemed to find her groove in the ring as she was pushing back against Kesler and delivering multiple punches unlike in the other two rounds but by split decision, Kesler took the win.
Erika “Spanish Beast” Cucala-Page (Blue) def. Lauren “6 Foot Hero” Barnes (Gold)
Senior Cucala-Page from Barcelona, Spain makes her way back to the ring to face off against first-timer Barnes. The two went straight at it as Cucala-Page delivered the first blow and continued to deliver multiple right hooks to the senior from Johnson Family's head. A hard right hook hit to Barnes' head caused a stop in the match and Barnes had to complete a concussion test performed by nearby medical assistants. With Barnes unable to continue, Cucala-Page was declared the winner by referee stoppage.
Caroline “Waisan Persuasion” Landry (Gold) def. Tavin “3-Alarm” Martin (Blue)
Amid roaring cheers from the students, senior Martin, representing Lyons Hall and hailing from Evansville, Indiana, returned to the ring to face Landry, a California native and fellow senior from Lewis Hall. A staredown started the fight before Martin jumped in delivering the first blow but Landry was quick to come back, delivering two head punches. With the energy in the ballroom high, Landry pushed back as she threw multiple head punches but the consistent movement was broken off after Martin threw Landry off balance with a right hook. It was hard to tell who was going to win but Landry took the win by unanimous decision.
Rosie “The Riveter” Binette (Blue) def. Samantha “Smitty” Smith (Gold)
Sophomore Binette comes from North Salem, New York and represents Johnson Family Hall for her first time in the ring and her opponent junior Ryan Hall resident Smith enters the ring for the second time in the tournament after winning her fight last week. The two had similar techniques as both showed a mixture of block and attack. While the two went back and forth exchanging punches, Binette took the win by unanimous decision.
Luisa “Karma” Capobianco (Gold) def. Patty “Patty Pat-Pat Garcia” Garcia-Saladrigas
Hailing from Miami and representing Breen-Phillips Hall, senior Garcia-Saladrigas entered the ring opposite her opponent senior Welsh Family resident Capobianco from Pennsylvania. The two did not seem to have a set strategy but both were highly active in delivering punches throughout the fight. By unanimous decision, Capobianco took the win.
Mary “Red Sky” Quirk (Blue) def. Anna “Polk” Polking (Gold)
The two new fighters enter the ring nearing the end of the night. Quirk, a senior from Louisville, Kentucky, and resident of Lewis Hall, stepped into the ring to face Polking, a first-year Ryan Hall resident from Charlotte, North Carolina. Quirk showed a more aggressive attempt throwing multiple punches and using an evade technique while Polk showed a more defensive approach blocking a lot of the hits from Quirk but at the end, Quirk took the win by unanimous decision.
Lynley “Houston’s Problem” Pace (Gold) def. Inyam “Bunny T” Ricketts (Blue)
With the music blaring and everyone cheering loudly, these two competitors took to the ring. Senior Florida native Ricketts and sophomore from Houston, Texas, and Ryan Hall representative Pace faced off in the second to last fight. This fight differed from others due to the fact that it was slower and the fighters took their time to land their hits but also had to be separated for illegal hits several times. Throughout the rounds, the students cheered for their respective fighter and while Ricketts landed numerous good shots, Pace took the win by unanimous decision.
Kaitlin “Mo’ Pain” Mohlenkamp (Blue) def. Kailyn “Rah” Meyer (Gold) EXHIBITION ROUND
In the final match of the night, an unexpected switch in the lineup pitted senior from Hudson, Ohio and a representative of Badin Hall, Mohlenkamp against sophomore Meyer from Indianapolis, Indiana. Meyer started off strong as she laid multiple punches while Mohlenkamp preferred to take a defensive route. Nearing the end Mohlenkamp and Meyer put on a little show. While Meyer pretended to be down, Mohlenkamp ran at her and pretended to “K.O” her. At the end of the night, Mohlenkamp took the final unanimous decision.
