BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – The No. 4 Auburn equestrian team captured a 13-6 victory on the road, downing Southeastern Conference rival and No. 7 South Carolina, 13-6, at One Wood Farm in Blythewood, South Carolina Friday afternoon.
With the win, the Tigers improved to 4-1 overall with a 2-0 mark in the league.
"They rode really well today," head coach Greg Williams. "We only had a couple rides where the horses took us out so overall, it was a good day. Every one of our riders has the ability to win against anybody. We feel good about where we are right now in every event."
A pair of seniors in Olivia Tordoff and Ava Stearns earned MOP honors on the day, coming in Horsemanship and Fences, respectively.
The Tigers put together a 7-3 lead after Horsemanship and Flat in the first half.
Leading the way was the performance of Horsemanship as the squad swept the Gamecocks, 5-0. Junior Madison Parduhn led things off with a 76.5-75 win. Freshman Alexia Tordoff followed with a 74-71.5 victory, while senior Maddie Spak remained undefeated in the event with a 75.5-73 win over Alyssa Jipping. Olivia Tordoff picked up her second-straight MOP honor with a 76-61 win and freshman Carolina Fredenburg extended her winning streak to four, besting Alexa Thorpe, 72.5-70.
Flat picked up a pair of wins from sophomores Mary-Grace Segars and Sophee Steckbeck. Segars improved to 5-0-0 on the year with an 81-77 edge over Jordan Allen, while Steckbeck bested her opponent, 80-78.
Fences picked up where the team left off in the second half, finishing 4-1-0 vs. the Gamecocks. Steckbeck led off with an 84-74 win and Stearns put together an 89-79 victory for MOP. Segars downed her opponent, 88-70 and Ferrigno won her point, 77-75, to remain undefeated in the event.
Auburn finished the meet with a 2-2-1 record in Reining against the Gamecocks. Junior Isabella Tesmer tied her match up, 72.5-72.5, while classmate Kate Buchanan put together a 72-69.5 win. Alexia Tordoff finished out the scoring with a 70.5-65.5 victory over Chloe VanStone.
Auburn returns home and hosts nationally-ranked Texas A&M at the Auburn University Equestrian Center. The two teams will face off at 3 p.m. CT on November 11 and admission is free.
#4 AUBURN 13, #7 SOUTH CAROLINA 6
FENCES
Sophee Steckbeck (AU) def. Natalie Jayne (SC), 84-74
Jordan Allen (SC) def. Emma Kurtz (AU), 86-65
Ava Stearns (AU) def. Alexa Aureliano (SC), 89-79
Mary-Grace Segars (AU) def. Madeline Schaefer (SC), 88-70
Ellie Ferrigno (AU) def. Sydney DeGrazia (SC), 77-75
FLAT
Trinity Hammerschmidt (SC) def. Ava Stearns (AU), 86-83
Emily Giorgio (SC) def. Emma Kurtz (AU), 70-64
Mary-Grace Segars (AU) def. Jordan Allen (SC), 81-77
Madeline Schaefer (SC) def. Ellie Ferrigno (AU), 89-86
Sophee Steckbeck (AU) def. Natalie Jayne (SC), 80-78
HORSEMANSHIP
Madison Parduhn (AU) def. Carly Jenkins (SC), 76.5-75
Alexia Tordoff (AU) def. Kendalyn (SC), 74-71.5
Maddie Spak (AU) def. Alyssa Jipping (SC), 75.5-73
Olivia Tordoff (AU) def. Tierney Horton (SC), 76-61
Caroline Fredenburg (AU) def. Alexa Thorpe (SC), 72.5-70
REINING
Isabella Tesmer (AU) tied Emilia Reutimann (SC), 72.5-72.5
Kate Buchanan (AU) def. Chloe Stephenson (SC), 72-69.5
Emma Lane (SC) def. Caroline Buchanan (AU), 72-71
Alexia Tordoff (AU) def. Chloe VanStone (SC), 70.5-65.5
Mary Margaret Coats (SC) def. Olivia Marino (AU), 72-70.5