AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn equestrian capped the 2020-21 regular season in big fashion, topping No. 8 South Carolina, 13-5, at the Auburn University Equestrian Center to extend its winning streak to 40-straight meets.
With the win, Auburn finished undefeated (6-0, 6-0 SEC) for the third-consecutive regular season. In addition, the Tigers will once again be the No. 1 seed in the 2021 SEC Championship in two weeks, March 26-27.
"This team has been preparing for the postseason since we knew we were going to have a season," head coach Greg Williams said. "They have fun doing stuff together as a whole unit and winning is just a byproduct of how this team approaches everything they do. All the work and always pushing to raise the bar is something we do by choice and we want to do everything at a high level.
"We're very excited for what's next for this team," Williams said. "We love postseason and can't wait to get to work again as we get closer to the SEC Championship."
The Tigers jumped out to a big lead after Horsemanship and Fences, taking a 9-1 lead into intermission.
Horsemanship put together its first sweep of the season, besting the Gamecocks with a 5-0-0 mark. Senior Taylor Searles topped her opponent, 75-72.5, to earn her fifth win of the season in the event. Sophomore Maddie Spak followed with a 75.5 for the team point and freshman Madison Parduhn put together a 76 in her MOP victory.
Senior Deanna Green added another 76 for the Tigers in her win over SC's Sloane Vogt, picking up her fifth victory of the year. Sophomore Olivia Tordoff improved to 6-0-0 on the season in Horsemanship as she capped the event with a 75.5-73.5 win.
Auburn's Fences corps finished 4-1-0 vs. the Gamecocks in the first half. After South Carolina took the first point, the Tigers captured the final four points in the event. Junior Meghan Knapic improved to 7-1-0 overall with an 86-82 win and classmate McKayla Langmeier scored 87.5 points in her victory. Senior Taylor St. Jacques remained undefeated in the event with an 87-84 win over her opponent and sophomore Ava Stearns tied her season best with 89 points to top Alice Kass.
Both Flat and Reining put together a 2-2-1 mark against South Carolina to close out the meet.
St. Jacques captured MOP honors with her Flat ride, scoring a 93 to defeat Nina Columbia's 85. With the win, she improved to 6-0-0 on the year. Junior Emma Kurtz earned an 85-80 victory for the Tigers in the event.
Green and sophomore Boo Kammerer each had wins in Reining. Green finished her day undefeated with a 69.5-66 victory and Kammerer ended the regular season unbeaten as she edged McKenzie Duncan, 70-69.5.
Postseason action begins with the 2021 SEC Equestrian Championships, March 26-27. Georgia is set to host the conference meet in Bishop, Ga., and Auburn will be the No. 1 seed and two-time defending SEC champion.
#1 AUBURN 13, #8 SOUTH CAROLINA 5
Fences
Madeline Schaefer (SC)* def. Emma Kurtz (AU), 88-85.5
Meghan Knapic (AU) def. Jordan Allen (SC), 86-82
McKayla Langmeier (AU) def. Tyler Petrie (SC), 87.5-76
Taylor St. Jacques (AU) def. Trinity Hammerschmidt (SC), 87-84
Ava Stearns (AU) def. Alice Kass (SC), 89-82
Flat
Caroline Bald (SC) def. Ellie Ferrigno (SC), 80-65
Taylor St. Jacques (AU)* def. Nina Columbia (SC), 93-85
Trinity Hammerschmidt (SC) def. McKayla Langmeier (AU), 80-64
Emma Kurtz (AU) def. Madeline Schaefer (SC), 85-80
Ava Stearns (AU) tied Louisa Brackett (SC), 85-85
Horsemanship
Taylor Searles (AU) def. Cora Wyers (SC), 75-72.5
Maddie Spak (AU) def. Alexa Thorpe (SC), 75.5-0
Madison Parduhn (AU)* def. Taylor Kellam (SC), 76-74.5
Deanna Green (AU) def. Sloane Vogt (SC), 76-73.5
Olivia Tordoff (AU) def. Kamiah McGrath (SC), 75.5-73.5
Reining
Terri-June Granger (AU) tied Graycen Hess (SC), 72-72
Sloane Vogt (SC) def. Taylor Searles (AU), 71-69
Emma Lane (SC)* def. Isabella Tesmer (AU), 70.5-70
Deanna Green (AU) def. Addie Cromer (SC), 69.5-66
Boo Kammerer (AU) def. McKenzie Duncan (SC), 70-69.5
