MARTIN, Tenn. – Five separate University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian riders set career-highs in scoring today as the No. 10 ranked Skyhawks battled but fell 14-6 to No. 1 Auburn at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex.
Matched up against the top-ranked team in the nation, UT Martin more than held their own throughout as five of its head-to-head losses came by two points or fewer (including three by one or 0.5 points). The Skyhawks accounted for two MOP’s as the sophomore duo of Gabby Adams (flat) and Elise Mason (reining) earned top honors in their respective events.
UT Martin fell by a slim 6-4 margin in the Western discipline, dialing up two winners in both reining and horsemanship. Mason’s career-best 73 points in reining led to her team-best fourth victory and second MOP of the early 2024-25 season while Lexi Bailey managed a season-high 72.5 points for her third win of the year in that event. In horsemanship, Bailey posted her team-high fourth victory of the season with a team-best 76 points while Lillian Laney came away with her third win of the 2024-25 campaign via a 75-point effort in the same event.
Four of the five Skyhawks who established career-highs today competed in fences. Elizabeth Becker accounted for a career-best 87 points for her team-high fourth win of the season while Kate Mills matched her for the top score on the squad with a career-best score of 87. Adams managed a career-high 86 while Emerson Maier managed a career-best 85 points. Tess Kjellberg completed the team scoring with 77 points.
In flat, Adams’ 86 points led the way as it was her team-high fourth win and second MOP in that event. Rileigh Weiss set a season-high with 73 points while the UT Martin lineup also consisted of Bridget Vieau (75 points), Becker (74) and Audrey Morris (68).
Aubrey Malone (69 points) was edged by 0.5 points in reining while Logan Putvinski (67.5) fell by a narrow two-point margin in the same event. Kate Davis added 64 points as part of the Skyhawk reining lineup.
Davis’ 73.5 points in horsemanship was bested by just a single point by her head-to-head competitor. Mia McAfoos and Kailyn Veale also took part in horsemanship with scores of 72.5 and 63.5 points, respectively.
UT Martin is off for the next three weeks as it rounds out the fall schedule with a visit to Felton, Del. to take on Eastern College Athletic Conference rivals Delaware State (Nov. 15) and South Dakota State (Nov. 16).
