NO. 10 SKYHAWK EQUESTRIAN DEFEATS REIGNING NATIONAL RUNNER-UP SMU FOR FIRST-EVER WIN OVER TOP-THREE PROGRAM

Saturday, October 2

Felton, Del.

9 a.m.

UT Martin

SMU

Photo by: Aubrey Malone

NO. 10 SKYHAWK EQUESTRIAN DEFEATS REIGNING NATIONAL RUNNER-UP SMU FOR FIRST-EVER WIN OVER TOP-THREE PROGRAM

10/2/2021 1:18:00 PM | Equestrian

Results

FELTON, Del. – History was made today as the No. 10 ranked University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian program soared to a 9-6 triumph over No. 3 SMU for its first victory of the 2021-22 campaign.

The win was the Skyhawks' first win over a top-3 ranked opponent in school history and is the second triumph over a top-5 team (also downing No. 5 Fresno State on Nov. 9, 2017). Today's result also marks the first UT Martin victory against SMU – who advanced to the NCEA Championship finals last spring – since March 25, 2016.

The Skyhawks boasted three MOP's during today's meet. Kelby Kane (career-high 88 points) and Julia Gilman (career-best 89) nabbed their second MOP accolades in as many days in fences and flat, respectively. Freshman Kate Davis also secured her second MOP of the young season with a 75-point effort in reining.

Kane (MOP) and Gilman (career-high 86 points) each tallied head-to-head victories in fences to start off the day, extending Kane's winning streak to three to start the season while Gilman won her second meet in two opportunities on the weekend. Haley Kane (career-best 82 points) and Elizabeth Becker (80 points) also collected solid scores but were defeated by their Mustang counterparts.

UT Martin came away with its first two wins of the season in horsemanship today, splitting the event at 2-all. Keely Seiter's 74 points and Katelyn Schultz's career-high 70.5-point ride were good enough for their first collegiate victories. Davis and Paige Benson each posted 72.5 points in narrow setbacks.

The Skyhawks edged out SMU by a 2-1 margin in flat behind Gilman's MOP performance, the second win in as many days out of Tyler Anderson (74.5 points) and a tie from Kelby Kane (career-best 88 points). Haley Kane was the fourth member of UT Martin's lineup as she delivered a score of 79.5 points.

Possessing a slim 6-5 lead heading into reining, the Skyhawks rose to the occasion by snatching three of the four points awarded in the event. Davis (MOP) joined Maggie Malone (team-high and career-best 75.5 points) and Brooke Bradley (career-high 73.5) as winners while Logan Putvinski posted 63.5 points.

UT Martin will take a well-deserved break before traveling to Brookings, SD for a matchup against Eastern College Athletic Conference foe South Dakota State on Friday, Oct. 15.