April 13, 2012
Waco, Texas -
The No. 5 Auburn equestrian Hunt Seat team fell to fourth-seeded Baylor in the Hunt Seat semifinal Friday at the National Collegiate Equestrian Championships.
The Tigers move to the consolation bracket and will compete against third-seeded Georgia as they look to finish third overall in Hunt Seat competition on Saturday.
The Western team defeated eighth-seeded Fresno State in the consolation bracket and will advance to the final consolation round Saturday against No. 10-seed Texas Christian.
"I'm proud of our girls and the way they compete for Auburn," Auburn head coach Greg Williams said. "They are a truly special team that I wish could have finished with another championship.
"We had a tough day in the SEC. For the first time in the seven years since we have gone to head-to-head championship format, an SEC team is not going to be crowned National Champions."
The Hunt Seat team fell in a close contest, as Baylor edged Auburn, 4-3. The Tigers won Equitation on the Flat, 3-1, but fell in Equitation over Fences, 3-0.
Auburn earned points on the Flat behind Maggie McAlary, Grace Socha and Christina Lin. McAlary defeated Kim Woodsum, 161-141, Socha defeated Lisa Goldman, 136-132, and Lin won the point over Samantha Schaefer, 148-140.
The Western team easily defeated Fresno State, 7-1, winning Reining, 4-0, and Horsemanship, 3-1.
In Reining, Indy Roper defeated Lauren Crivelli, 141.5-137, Cheyenne Cracraft defeated Sonya Koch, 136-134, Stephanie Rucci defeated Ciara Kozlowski, 138.5-138, and Kristin Hansen defeated Sydney Coletti, 138-133.
In Horsemanship, Katsy Leeman defeated Christa Beezley, 132-131, Roper defeated Crivelli, 146.5-139.5, and Rucci defeated Sammie Jo Stone, 141.5-131.5.