AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn equestrian team opened up a busy weekend at the Auburn University Equestrian Center with an impressive 17-0 win over No. 10 UT Martin Friday afternoon. The victory marked the third-straight win over a Top 10 team in 2019 and moved the Tigers to 8-0 on the year.
"This team is riding at such a high level," head coach Greg Williams said. "We have a lot of momentum right now and are really going on all cylinders."
The Hunt Seat crew went a perfect 10-for-10, sweeping the Skyhawks in both Equitation Over Fences and Equitation on the Flat. On the Western side, the Tigers finished the day with a 7-0-3 mark between Horsemanship and Reining.
Friday also marked the third-consecutive meet that the Tigers swept the Most Outstanding Performer honors. Picking up the awards on the Hunt Seat side were sophomore Taylor St. Jacques and senior Hayley Iannotti. St. Jacques earned her third nod in Fences this year, while Iannotti picked up her first MOP award of the season in Flat.
Sophomore Taylor Searles picked up MOP recognition in Horsemanship after she scored a career-best 77 points. Senior Ali Fratessa was awarded her team-best third MOP in Reining of the season to close out the meet.
Senior Ashton Alexander kicked off Fences with a 77-68 win before St. Jacques finished with an 83-67 victory over Abbie Hopkins to earn MOP. Freshman McKayla Langmeier improved to a perfect 6-0 on the year in the event with a 10-point win (86-76), while classmate Emma Kurtz edged her opponent, 80-77. Iannotti capped the event with an 84-79 victory.
Searles opened Horsemanship with a big score, earning a career-best 77 points in her four-point win. The Scottsdale, Ariz., product moved to 6-1 on the season with the victory. Classmate Deanna Green tied her season best with 76 points in her win, while seniors Lauren Diaz and Kelsey Jung each set season highs with 76 points each in their victories.
After the break, the Hunt Seat corps put together another sweep in Equitation on the Flat and saw four of five Tigers finish with 90 points or more. The 5-0 finish in the event marked the third-straight meet the Flat crew has swept their opponents. Kurtz and Langmeier finished with 90 and 91 points, respectively, to open things up. Iannotti secured MOP recognition with a career-high 95, besting her opponent by 11 points. That total also marked a season best for all Tigers this year.
Senior Caitlin Boyle and St. Jacques closed out the event with wins. Boyle bested Monika Zoromski, 88-81, before St. Jacques topped Quinn Reed, 93-82.
Auburn finished the day with a 3-0-2 record in Reining and was led by Fratessa's 72.5 for the MOP. The win lifted the Wheelock, Texas, product to 7-1 on the year. Senior Betsy Brown picked up her second-straight victory with a 69-68.5 edge over McAuley Ross. Green put an exclamation to the day with a 69.5-0 win, improving to 6-1 on the year in the event.
The Tigers close out the weekend Saturday, hosting South Dakota State at 11 a.m. CT at the Auburn University Equestrian Center. The contest is also the program's annual Alumni Meet.
#1 AUBURN 17, #10 UT MARTIN 0
Equitation Over Fences
Ashton Alexander (AU) def. Brooke Pfeiffer (UTM), 77-68
Taylor St. Jacques (AU)** def. Abbie Hopkins (UTM), 83-67
McKayla Langmeier (AU) def. Monika Zoromski (UTM), 86-76
Emma Kurtz (AU) def. Grace Rogers (UTM), 80-77
Hayley Iannotti (AU) def. Kelby Kane (UTM), 84-79
Equitation on the Flat
Emma Kurtz (AU) def. Abbie Hopkins (UTM), 90-84
McKayla Langmeier (AU) def. Kenzie Mezrah (UTM), 91-77
Hayley Iannotti (AU)** def. Kelby Kane (UTM), 95-84
Caitlin Boyle (AU) def. Monika Zoromski (UTM), 88-81
Taylor St. Jacques (AU) def. Quinn Reed (UTM), 93-82
Horsemanship
Taylor Searles (AU)** def. Devon Woods (UTM), 77-73
Deanna Green (AU) def. Lucy Eier (UTM), 76-75
Kara Kaufmann (AU) tied McAuley Ross (UTM), 72.5-72.5
Lauren Diaz (AU) def. Tess Baumann (UTM), 76-73.5
Kelsey Jung (AU) def. Bailey Newlin (UTM), 76-74.5
Reining
Terri-June Granger (AU) tied Hannah McDonald (UTM), 72-72
Betsy Brown (AU) def. McAUley Ross (UTM), 69-68.5
Blair McFarlin (AU) tied Sammi Felts (UTM), 71.5-71.5
Ali Fratessa (AU) def. Tess Baumann (UTM), 72.5-71
Deanna Green (AU) def. Madi Mykolaitis (UTM), 69.5-0