NO. 10 SKYHAWK EQUESTRIAN COMPETES THROUGHOUT BUT FALLS 13-6 TO NO. 8 BAYLOR IN SEASON OPENER

Friday, September 24

Martin, Tenn.

10 a.m.

UT Martin

Baylor

NO. 10 SKYHAWK EQUESTRIAN COMPETES THROUGHOUT BUT FALLS 13-6 TO NO. 8 BAYLOR IN SEASON OPENER

9/24/2021 5:32:00 PM | Equestrian

Results

MARTIN, Tenn. – The No. 10 ranked University of Tennessee at Martin accounted for a pair of MOP's in the equestrian season opener but the Skyhawks fell 13-6 to No. 8 Baylor at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex today.

Competing for the first time since Feb. 29, 2020, UT Martin senior Kelby Kane nabbed MOP accolades in flat after an 85.5-point effort. Freshman Kate Davis was the second Skyhawk to collect MOP honors on the day, securing 67.5 points in reining during her collegiate debut.

As a team, UT Martin posted a pair of individual wins in fences, two victories in flat and two wins in reining. The Skyhawks also had a tie in horsemanship but the visiting Bears tallied the other four points in that event to help create some separation in the final score. Overall, six different riders made their official UT Martin debuts today (Elizabeth Becker, Lexi Bailey, Kate Davis, Rachel Davis, Emma Schaefer and Keely Seiter).

The meet began with fences as the Skyhawks collected a pair of points. Elizabeth Becker shined in her debut, dialing up a team-best 82 points for a five-point victory. Kelby Kane won her head-to-head matchup with 70 points for her first of two victories on the day. Haley Kane gave a valiant effort with a career-high 80 points while Tyler Anderson and Julia Gilman each notched 79 points but were narrowly edged out by one point apiece. The 79 points were a career-best total for Anderson.

Paige Benson came away with a team-high 72 points in horsemanship, tying her competition. Katelyn Schultz (career-best 68.5 points), Seiter (67.5), Schaefer (64.5) and Bailey (no score) also represented the UT Martin lineup in the event but ran into some tough luck.

In flat, Kelby Kane accumulated her sixth career MOP – finishing just 0.5 points shy of her career-best score on her way to an eight-point triumph. Haley Kane was responsible for another Skyhawk victory in the event, piling up 83.5 points. Mahalia Alascio generated 82 points, Anderson managed a career-high 80 points and Gilman earned 69 points to complete UT Martin's lineup in the event.

Kate Davis' MOP effort set the tone for the Skyhawks in the reining event. She was joined in the win column by Brooke Bradley, who accrued 68.5 points for a four-point victory. Maggie Malone and Rachel Davis each posted team-high 69.5-point performances with Malone narrowly falling by 0.5 points in her head-to-head matchup. Putvinski made her debut in the event as well, tallying 65 points.

UT Martin is back in action next weekend when it travels to Harrington, Del. for a pair of meets. The Skyhawks will take on Delaware State on Friday, Oct. 1 before clashing against No. 3 SMU on Saturday, Oct. 2.