MARTIN, Tenn. – For the second straight day, the University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian squad picked up the reining MOP against a top-five team but the Skyhawks dropped a 14-5 decision to the visiting Georgia Bulldogs.
Behind a season-high 70.5-point performance, Emma Schaefer accumulated her second MOP and team-high fourth win of the season in reining. The senior from New Virginia, Iowa helped pave the way for an impressive reining team performance as UT Martin claimed three wins and a tie in the event.
In addition to Schaefer, Logan Putvinski and Aubrey Malone each dialed up reining victories with scores of 70.5 points apiece. It marked the third win of the season for Putvinski and a season-best score en route to Malone’s second victory in 2023-24. Lexi Bailey notched a season-high 69.5 points for her third tie in six opportunities this season. Kate Davis also posted a solid score of 68.5 points but her competitor narrowly edged her out by one point.
Bailey added to her undefeated day with a victory in horsemanship, scoring 74 points for her team-best third triumph of the season. Schaefer’s team-high 75-point performance was beaten by 0.5 points while Davis’ season-high score of 74.5 points was also defeated by a slim 0.5-point margin. Mia McAfoos and Ava Newsom completed the scoring with 73 and 68 points, respectively.
The Skyhawks managed a head-to-head triumph in fences, keyed by Haley Kane’s team-best third win of the season. Her 83 points was good enough for her second win in as many days against a top-five program. Sydney Hott tallied a team-high 84.5 points while Gabby Adams secured a career-best 84 points. Kate Mills (81 points) and Elizabeth Becker (78) also made starts for UT Martin in fences.
No. 5 Georgia was able to take all five points in the flat event. Sophia Sundem accrued a team-high 81 points for the Skyhawks and was followed by Kane (79), Becker (79), Hott (77) and Ava Laplante (75 in her season debut).
UT Martin is off for the next three weeks before closing out its fall schedule with meets against No. 8 Baylor (Nov. 17) and Eastern College Athletic Conference rival Delaware State (Nov. 18) in Felton, Del.
