BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 2 Auburn equestrian team fell to No. 4 Texas A&M Thursday, 10-6, at the Hildebrand Equine Complex in Bryan-College Station, Texas. The loss moved the Tigers to 4-2 overall with a 2-1 mark in Southeastern Conference action.
"That was a tough one," head coach Greg Williams said. "We had an opportunity to take this meet and needed some things to go our way. This is a great team and we're full of talent. We can't worry about the past and need to focus on what we can control by being ready to get after it tomorrow."
Auburn finished with two Most Outstanding Performers on the day. Sophomore Madison Parduhn was awarded MOP in Horsemanship, while junior Ava Stearns earned MOP in Flat.
The Tigers fell behind at the start as Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0 SEC) took a 6-3 lead at intermission following Fences and Horsemanship. The Aggies put together a 4-0-1 mark in Fences to get things started on the Jumping Seat side.
Auburn rebounded in Horsemanship taking the final three points of the event after TAMU won the first two. Parduhn, of Edmond, Oklahoma, put together a season-high 76 for her MOP win, besting Hayley Riddle's 71.5. Junior Olivia Tordoff picked up her fourth-straight win with a 75-71.5 victory and fifth-year senior Taylor Searles remained undefeated in the event as she topped her opponent, 73-72.
Following intermission, Auburn got three points in Flat as the Tigers bested the Aggies 3-1-1. Fifth-year senior Helen Ulrich put together an 86-80 victory over Devon Thomas before Stearns scored 90 points in her MOP win. Senior Emma Kurtz tied her opponent, 85.5-85.5, and sophomore Ellie Ferrigno edged Rhian Murphy, 83.5-83.
A pair of Tigers in fifth-year senior Terri-June Granger and junior Boo Kammerer ended their Reining match ups in ties. Granger finished with a season-best 73 on her ride, while Kammerer and her opponent ended in a 68.5-68.5 draw.
Auburn caps the fall season Friday, Nov. 19, at No. 3 Baylor. The Tigers and the Bears will go head-to-head at 11 a.m. CT in Waco.
#4 TEXAS A&M 10, #2 AUBURN 6
FENCES
Brooke Brombach (TAMU) def. Emma Kurtz (AU), 85-77
Kaitlyn Lovingfoss (TAMU)* def. Ava Stearns (AU), 86-84
Haley Redifer (TAMU) def. Sophee Steckbeck (AU), 86-83
Ellie Ferrigno (AU) tied Devon Thomas (TAMU), 85-85
Grace Boston (TAMU) def. Meghan Knapic (AU), 85-84
FLAT
Caroline Dance (TAMU) def. Sophee Steckbeck (AU), 84-79
Helen Ulrich (AU) def. Devon Thomas (TAMU), 86-80
Ava Stearns (AU)* def. Maggie Nealon (TAMU), 90-81
Emma Kurtz (AU) tied Nicole Leonard (TAMU), 85.5-85.5
Ellie Ferrigno (AU) def. Rhian Murphy (TAMU), 83.5-83
HORSEMANSHIP
Hanna Olaussen (TAMU) def. Jacqueline Frimodt (AU), 75-73
MacKenzie Chapman (TAMU) def. Maddie Spak (AU), 74-67
Madison Parduhn (AU)* def. Hayley Riddle (TAMU), 76-71.5
Olivia Tordoff (AU) def. Ella Petak (TAMU), 75-71.5
Taylor Searles (AU) def. Cori Cansdale (TAMU), 73-72
REINING
Malena Lopez (TAMU) def. Olivia Marino (AU), 70-69
Taylor Masson (TAMU)* def. Taylor Searles (AU), 74-70.5
Terri-June Granger (AU) tied Lisa Bricker (TAMU), 73-73
Boo Kammerer (AU) tied Marissa Harrell (TAMU), 68.5-68.5
Emmy-Lu Marsh (TAMU) def. Isabella Tesmer (AU), 70.5-70
