AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 1 Auburn equestrian team improved to 3-0 on the year with an 11-6 victory over two-time defending national champion and No. 4 SMU Saturday afternoon at the Auburn University Equestrian Center.
“It was a great win today,” head coach Jessica Braswell said. “I think this was a good test for us because SMU is a really great team. They are two-time defending national champions for a reason. We knew we’d have our work cut out for us and we showed up today.”
The Tigers had a big afternoon, winning all four events and securing three of four Most Outstanding Performer (MOP) honors. Auburn took both MOP awards in Jumping Seat with senior Sophee Steckbeck winning Flat and sophomore Avery Glynn taking Fences. Fifth year Olivia Bradley earned MOP honors in Reining.
“Winning all four events is a big deal and hard to do no matter if you’re home or on the road,” Braswell said. “We had big scores in Flat, including from Sophee and saw a huge ride from Olivia on a really tough horse. And Avery continues to ride very well to put up big marks.”
Auburn came out strong to start the meet against the Mustangs, taking a 6-3 lead into intermission following Flat and Reining.
“I love the way we started in Flat and Reining,” Braswell said. “Those are tough events and are tough to start with and I thought the team rode really, really well.”
The Flat corps put together a 3-2 mark against SMU with Steckbeck’s outstanding win leading things off. She downed Hensley Humphries, 91-82.5, scoring a season best in the event. The Mustangs took the next point before Glynn followed with an 87.5-84 victory over Elli Yeager. Another point went to SMU, but fifth year Ellie Ferrigno closed the event out with a 92.5-76 win. That total was a season high for Ferrigno.
Reining secured a 3-1-1 record in the first half to give the Tigers the advantage at the break. Bradley started things off with a 67-63 win to take MOP honors and remain undefeated in the event. Junior Caroline Buchanan continued her winning ways, besting Maria Richards, 70.75-68.75, to improve to 3-0-0 on the year. Freshman Michelle Fumagalli came up big with a 67.75-67.25 edge over Shelby Clausen and junior Alexia Tordoff rode to a 71.25-71.25 draw with Chalyce Head.
“In addition to Olivia, Caroline (Buchanan) continues to shine in Reining,” Braswell said. “Alexia had to go up against a big score and was really smart in her riding so I’m so proud of her. It is also great to see our freshmen have big rides and big scores and it was crucial for Michelle to come away with that point.”
The Tigers took momentum into the second half and saw a 3-2 victory in Fences and a 2-1-2 advantage in Horsemanship.
The Mustangs took the first two points in Fences before the Tigers responded with three-straight victories.
Junior Mary-Grace Segars edged her opponent, 82.5-82, to take the first point for the Tigers. Glynn came up big with a huge ride, besting Yeager again and earning a 91.5 in the win for MOP. Freshman Kate Hagerty made the first start of her career and came away with the first win of her career, 87-81, to cap the Jumping Seat side of the meet.
Junior Lauren Hall led off in Horsemanship and scored a career-best 74 in her tie with Jayna Lagace. Sophomore Sydney Swallom tied her season best with a 75 in her win over Ava Blyth (73.25). Tordoff earned a match-high 76.25 on her ride and bested her opponent’s 74. The Mustangs picked up a point before sophomore Brooke Jolstad and SMU’s Alexa Black finished the day with a 73.75-73.75 tie.
Up next, the top-ranked Tigers take to the road once again for back-to-back meets away from the Plains, facing No. 10 UT Martin and No. 5 Oklahoma State.
“We were really good today but could still be better so I think that gives us a lot of confidence as we hit the road these next two weeks,” Braswell said. “We have some long trips coming up, so it’ll be important that we show up and ready to go early. We’re looking forward to the challenges ahead.”
Auburn and UT Martin will face off on October 26 at 10 a.m. CT in Martin, Tennessee. The Tigers and the Cowgirls will go head-to-head on November 1 at 12 p.m. CT in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
#1 AUBURN 11, #4 SMU 6
FENCES
Hannah Hoch (SMU) def. Ellie Ferrigno (AU), 79.5-79
Augusta Iwasaki (SMU) def. Sophee Steckbeck (AU), 88.5-85.5
Mary-Grace Segars (AU) def. Katelyn Vandenburg (SMU), 82.5-82
Avery Glynn (AU)* def. Elli Yeager (SMU), 91.5-84
Kate Hagerty (AU) def. Aedan Mooney (SMU), 87-81
FLAT
Sophee Steckbeck (AU)* def. Hensley Humphries (SMU), 91-82.5
Augusta Iwasaki (SMU) def. Mary-Grace Segars (AU), 84.5-81
Avery Glynn (AU) def. Elli Yeager (SMU), 87.5-84
Aedan Mooney (SMU) def. Sadie Berkhout (AU), 85-81.5
Ellie Ferrigno (AU) def. Annabele Whitehead (SMU), 92.5-76
HORSEMANSHIP
Lauren Hall (AU) tied Jayna Lagace (SMU), 74-74
Sydney Swallom (AU) def. Ava Blyth (SMU), 75-73.25
Alexia Tordoff (AU) def. Violet Shetler (SMU), 76.25-74
Nya Kearns (SMU)* def. Caroline Fredenburg (AU), 75.5-73.25
Brooke Jolstad (AU) tied Alexa Black (SMU), 73.75-73.5
REINING
Olivia Bradley (AU)* def. Addisyn Schmersal (SMU), 67-63
Sara Beth Filiatreau (SMU) def. Catie Reachard (AU), 71.75-70.75
Caroline Buchana (AU) def. Maria Richards (SMU), 70.75-68.75
Michelle Fumagalli (AU) def. Shelby Clausen (SMU), 67.75-67.25
Alexia Tordoff (AU) tied Chalyce Head (SMU), 71.25-71.25