UT MARTIN COMPETES THROUGHOUT BUT NARROWLY FALLS TO UC DAVIS IN ECAC EQUESTRIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, 10-8

Saturday, March 25

Brookings, SD

10 a.m.

UT Martin

UC Davis

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media

UT MARTIN COMPETES THROUGHOUT BUT NARROWLY FALLS TO UC DAVIS IN ECAC EQUESTRIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, 10-8

3/25/2023 9:56:00 PM | Equestrian

Results

BROOKINGS, SD – The University of Tennessee at Martin put forth a valiant effort today in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship finals but UC Davis came away with the slim 10-8 win at the DeHaan Equestrian Center.

Seeded first in the five-team field, the Skyhawks held a 3-2 lead after the first of four events (fences) today before the Aggies claimed four of five points in horsemanship. The final two events (flat and reining) were evenly split at 2-2 with one tie apiece to give No. 3 seed UC Davis the win despite UT Martin holding an 81.5-point edge (2,924.5-2,843) in raw scoring.

Senior Julia Gilman collected her second MOP of the season in flat today, piling up 158 points (81-77). Fellow senior Haley Kane also had a great day with a pair of victories in the Jumping Seat discipline while sophomore Kate Davis additionally went 2-0 in both Western discipline events. Sydney Hott was also unbeaten on the day for the Skyhawks with a 1-0-1 record in fences and flat.

Hott got UT Martin on the scoreboard with a 164-point performance (82-82) in fences. After UC Davis won the next two head-to-head decisions, Kane (155; 75-80) and Tyler Anderson (168; 82-86) gave the Skyhawks a 3-2 advantage. UT Martin's fences lineup also included Elizabeth Becker (139; 70-69) and Gilman (147; 70-77) as the squad outscored the Aggies by a 773-695.5 margin.

The meet then moved to the horsemanship phase as UC Davis recorded the first four points before Davis (147; 73-74) secured a victory for the Skyhawks. Keely Seiter (143; 72-71), Emma Schaefer (144.5; 71.5-73), Paige Benson (140.5; 70-70.5) and Lexi Bailey (141; 71.5-69.5) each pieced together solid efforts for UT Martin in horsemanship.

In flat, the Skyhawks posted points on the final two head-to-head decisions, starting with Gilman's MOP performance. Kane followed that with a score of 153 (75-78) to make the score 8-6 in favor of the Aggies through three events. Hott's 126 points (64-62) was good enough for a tie while Sophia Sundem (143; 68-75) and Anderson (156; 82-74) also represented UT Martin in the event.

Davis won the opening point of reining with a 143.5-point effort (72-71.5), closing the Skyhawk deficit to 8-7 in the process. Logan Putvinski (144.5; 72-72.5) would soon tack on another victory for UT Martin but unfortunately it wasn't enough. Bailey's 137.5 (68-69.5) tied her head-to-head competitor while Schaefer (135; 67-68) and Aubrey Malone (139; 69.5-69.5) completed the Skyhawks' scoring lineup.

Currently ranked No. 10 in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association poll, UT Martin has now won three consecutive ECAC reserve championships under head coach Kim Leiter.