OCALA, Fla. – The No. 2 Auburn equestrian team is one step closer to another national title as the Tigers topped No. 3 Oklahoma State in the NCEA Championship Semifinals Friday by a score of 14-6.
"We rode like the Auburn team we know we are," head coach Greg Williams said. "We keep building and building and these riders are really finding their stride. It's a fun time to be a part of this team right now and I'm so proud of them."
The Tigers (13-2) will face No. 1 SMU (12-1) Saturday at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida. The two squads will kick off action at 9 a.m. CT.
It will be the second meeting of the season between the Tigers and the Mustangs. Auburn hosted SMU in late February and captured a 15-5 win. The last time the two squads met in the postseason, the Mustangs ousted the Tigers in the first round of the 2022 NCEA Championship.
"This is a group that has deserved to be in the national title match these last couple of years and what I'm most grateful for is that they're in it," Williams said. "I'm looking forward to seeing big rides tomorrow on all sides. I believe that this team will step up and deliver."
"We've talked all year about laying it all on the line," senior Olivia Tordoff said. "There is no better time than tomorrow to do that and just give it everything we have. This is all about the people around us. This push to the national championship is not for us personally, but for those that came before us and for those that will come five years from now. We want to give it all we got."
The Jumping Seat corps continued to dominate as the squad put together an 8-2 mark against Oklahoma State.
"I feel like we've been adapting on the fly really well this week," fifth year Emma Kurtz said. "We've had some tough horses and had to face some adversity and we've handled it so well."
Fences went 4-1 against the Cowgirls, seeing big scores across the board. Sophomore Mary-Grace Segars led off with a 241-225 win, while junior Ellie Ferrigno picked up her 13th win of the season with a 254-157 victory. Kurtz scored a 251 to take the point and sophomore Sophee Steckbeck had a meet-best 258 to win her match by seven.
The Flat crew opened the second half of the discipline with another 4-1 margin over Oklahoma State. Segars once again led things off, earning a 240 and the point. Steckbeck followed with a 223-220 edge and Kurtz bested her opponent, 243-224. Senior Ava Stearns rounded out the Auburn wins with a meet-high 252 in her victory.
Auburn's Horsemanship squad had a huge showing as well in the Western arena, going 4-1 in the event.
Junior Madison Parduhn sealed the Auburn victory as her 229-228.5 edge over Jojo Roberson gave the Tigers their 11th point of the day. The Cowgirls responded with a win in the second match up before the sister tandem of senior Olivia Tordoff and freshman Alexia Tordoff put together massive scores, earning a pair of 235.5s to win their points. Freshman Caroline Fredenburg continued her dominating ways in the postseason with a 229-228 victory.
The Tigers picked up two points in Reining to start action in Western. Freshman Caroline Buchanan put together a big score, winning her match with a 215.5. Junior Olivia Marino continued her winning trend in the postseason as she bested her opponent with a 217.5.
#2 AUBURN 14, #3 OKLAHOMA STATE 6
FENCES
Mary-Grace Segars (AU) def. Grace McReynolds (OSU), 241-225
Ellie Ferrigno (AU) def. Emma Pacyna (OSU), 254-157
Emma Kurtz (AU) def. Sydney North (OSU), 251-234
Sophee Steckbeck (AU) def. Sydnie Ziegler (OSU), 251-258
Riley Hogan (OSU) def. Ava Stearns (AU), 259-249
FLAT
Mary-Grace Segars (AU) def. Ella Reinauer (OSU), 240-236
Sophee Steckbeck (AU) def. Hope King (OSU), 223-220
Emma Kurtz (AU) def. Grace McReynolds (OSU), 243-224
Ava Stearns (AU) def. Elizabeth Carter (OSU), 252-224
Riley Hogan (OSU) def. Ellie Ferrigno (AU), 251-248
HORSEMANSHIP
Madison Parduhn (AU) def. Jojo Roberson (OSU), 229-228.5
Claire McDowall (OSU) def. Maddie Spak (AU), 232.5-227.5
Olivia Tordoff (AU) def. June Roberson (OSU), 235.5-229.5
Alexia Tordoff (AU) def. Maddie Fussell (OSU), 235.5-233
Caroline Fredenburg (AU) def. Natalie Vargo (OSU), 229-228
REINING
Caroline Buchanan (AU) def. Quincee Clark (OSU), 215.5-213
Olivia Marino (AU) def. Jojo Roberson (OSU), 217.5-215
Hannah Lovrien (OSU) def. Alexia Tordoff (AU), 213.5-207.5
Molly Mitchell (OSU) def. Kate Buchanan (AU), 189-183
Tristan Bagby (OSU) def. Isabella Tesmer (AU), 209-201.5
No. 2 Tigers down No. 3 Oklahoma State to advance to national title meet
