No. 1 Auburn tops SUNY New Paltz, Sweet Briar

SUNY New PaltzSweet Briar
MOPsMOPs
Anthony Hall/Auburn Athletics

AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn equestrian team kicked off a full weekend with a pair of jumping seat wins, besting SUNY New Paltz and Sweet Briar Friday at the Auburn University Equestrian Center.

The Tigers opened up the day with a 7-1 victory over SUNY New Paltz. Sophomores Emma Kurtz and Meghan Knapic were awarded MOP honors in Flat and Fences, respectively.

After the Hawks took the first match of the day in Flat, the Tigers responded with three-straight wins. The first was Kurtz's MOP ride as she scored an 86 in her win. Senior Anna Claire Smith followed with an 85-76 victory before sophomore McKayla Langmeier capped the event with 86 points for the victory.

Auburn swept the Hawks in Fences, starting with a 79-76 win for junior Ericka Koscinski over Madeline Berg. Knapic scored a career-best 88 on her MOP ride, while Kurtz followed with an 88 as well for her second win of the day. Langmeier once again closed out the event, earning a 79-70 victory over Brynley Smith.

The Tigers followed with a 6-2 win over Sweet Briar later in the afternoon. Langmeier secured MOP honors in Flat, while Kurtz picked up her second award of the day in Fences.

Langmeier kicked things off on Flat with a huge score, earning a career-best 97 to edge her opponent's 94. Freshman Alex Pielet followed with an 84-76 victory and senior Becky Kozma earned a career-high 94 in her win.

In Fences, freshman Ava Stearns and Paige Matthies picked up the first wins of their careers for the Tigers. Steams scored an 84 in her win, while Matthies put together a 79-74 victory over Sophie Kane. Kurtz capped the day with her MOP ride, scoring an 87. The Vixens picked up one win in each event.

The busy weekend closes out Saturday, Oct. 19, with a pair of meets at the Auburn University Equestrian Center. SUNY New Paltz and Sweet Briar opens up at 8 a.m. CT with a jumping seat-only contest, while the No. 1 Tigers take on No. 5 TCU at 11 a.m. CT in a full meet.

#1 AUBURN 7, SUNY NEW PALTZ 1
Fences
Ericka Koscinski (AU) def. Madeline Berg (SUNY), 79-76
Meghan Knapic (AU)* def. Katherine Brantmeyer (SUNY), 88-75
Emma Kurtz (AU) def. Camryn Dluginski (SUNY), 88-70
McKayla Langmeier (AU) def. Brynley Smith (SUNY), 79-70

Flat
Madeline Berg (SUNY) def. Becky Kozma (AU), 84-77
Emma Kurtz (AU)* def. Elizabeth Jacoby (SUNY), 86-79
Anna Claire Smith (AU) def. Brynley Smith (SUNY), 85-76
McKayla Langmeier (AU) def. Katherine Brantmeyer (SUNY), 86-71

#1 AUBURN 6, SWEET BRIAR 2
Fences
Katie Balding (SB) def. Ericka Koscinski (AU), 80-65
Ava Stearns (AU) def. Lily Peterson (SB), 84-75
Paige Matthies (AU) def. Sophie Kane (SB), 79-74
Emma Kurtz (AU)* def. Maggie Fraley (SB), 87-77

Flat
McKayla Langmeier (AU)* def. Katie Balding (SB), 97-94
Alex Pielet (AU) def. Maggie Saunders (SB), 84-76
Maggie Fraley (SB) def. Emma Kurtz (AU), 87-85
Becky Kozma (AU) def. Sophie Kane (SB), 94-85