By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian team claimed four of five points in fences today but ultimately it wasn’t enough as Bridgewater swept all five flat points en route to a 6-4 win at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Pavilion.
Senior Julia Gilman posted her second MOP of the season in fences today, collecting 84 points to win her head-to-head decision by a whopping 17 points. It was also the team-best ninth victory of the season for the Barrington, Ill. native.
Tyler Anderson set a career-high with an 81-point effort on the way to a 14-point head-to-head win in fences, her second of the 2022-23 campaign. Sydney Hott and Elizabeth Becker each secured their sixth victories of the season with matching scores of 78 points. Haley Kane was also a part of the Skyhawk lineup as her 66-point performance was barely edged out by her competitor’s 67.
In flat, UT Martin fell by one point on two separate occasions in a close finish. Gilman registered a team-best 71 points while Kane and Sophia Sundem both recorded scores of 68 points. Hott posted 65 points while Rileigh Weiss was responsible for a score of 58 points.
It was a successful day all-around for the University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian squad as the Skyhawks wrapped up their home schedule with an 18-3 exhibition triumph over Miami (Ohio).
Ranked No. 10 in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association poll, UT Martin was responsible for all four MOP’s today. Abi Myers’ 80 points in fences were good enough for top honors while Ava Laplante recorded 79 points in flat to garner MOP status. Kailyn Veale (73.5 points) and Abi Clark (69.5 points) earned MOP accolades in horsemanship and reining, respectively.
The Skyhawks swept all five points in flat, won five and tied once in six opportunities in reining, claimed four of five chances in fences and emerged victorious in four of six points in horsemanship.
In fences, Myers’ MOP was a 14-point victory and set the tone for UT Martin. Emmy Reed posted a team-best 82 points for an 11-point triumph while Bridget Vieau’s 80 points were also good enough for an 11-point win. Shelby Davis gave the Skyhawks another victory in the event after she collected 69 points. Grace York also represented UT Martin in fences with a score of 68 points.
Veale’s MOP performance in horsemanship resulted in a 7.5-point margin of victory. Mannetta McAvaddy’s 71.5 points notched another point in the Skyhawk column while Lexi Bailey (71 points) and Mia McAfoos (69.5) also came away with head-to-head wins. Keely Seiter and Erica Snyder also earned starts in horsemanship and tallied scores of 71 and 66, respectively.
Owning an 8-3 advantage at halftime, UT Martin straight up dominated the final two events – not dropping a single decision the rest of the way in flat or reining.
Laplante outscored her head-to-head competitor by 11 points on the way to her MOP medal. Casey Ruggiero also won by 11 points as the current NCEA Standout Athlete of the Month registered 72 points. Vieau made it 2-for-2 in wins on the day after a convincing 71-56 triumph while Reed also managed her second victory of the day, outscoring her opponent by a 67-51 margin. Kathleen DeGenova additionally compiled 67 points as the Skyhawks nabbed all five points in the event.
In reining, Clark stood out with her impressive MOP ride that outscored her competitor by 6.5 points. Aubrey Malone matched Clark’s score (69.5) on the way to a victory while scores from Emma Schaefer (67.5 points) and Marci Leath (67) followed closely behind in winning efforts. Alexis Mann posted 64.5 points and boasted the largest margin of victory (7.5 points) in the event while Stevie Brown’s strong score of 68 tied her head-to-head opponent.
UT Martin puts the finishing touches on the 2022-23 regular season in a little less than two weeks as the Skyhawks head to Brookings, SD for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship. The event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 23 through Saturday, March 25.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information