Texas A&M
Kansas State
Equestrian Team Keeps Rolling with KSU Win
Nov 09, 2007 | Equestrian
November 09, 2007
The Texas A&M equestrian team continued its undefeated season with a 12-8 win over Kansas State at Fox Creek Farm on Friday afternoon.
The Aggies (6-0) earned team victories in both western disciplines as well as a very strong win in equitation on the flat after the team found itself in a 3-2 deficit after fences. A&M also won three of the four MVP awards doled out in the varsity show.
?I was very proud of the way our girls handled themselves in our first road competition of the season,? A&M head coach Tana Rawson said. ?It is always a big challenge to be the away team, especially in the first one of the season and especially against an opponent like Kansas State. Our girls rode smart and it paid off. I?™m proud of how everyone rose up and responded to the challenge today.?
The loss by the Wildcats was only their second at home since going to a full varsity schedule last season. The Aggies have now beaten each team in the Big 12 both at home and on the road since going to varsity only showing last year. They are also the only school in the Big 12 to have accomplished the impressive feat.
A&M?™s equitation on the flat riders led the charge, as they have all season, turning a 5-5 tie into a 9-6 Aggie advantage. Their 4-1 win over KSU brings their overall individual record to 24-9 this fall, making them the winningest group of the Aggies?™ four riding disciplines.
Sophomore Christina Heine (Toledo, Ohio) earned her second MVP award of the fall with an 80-75 flat win over KSU?™s Katie Mellon. Heine?™s ride was preceded by impressive 81 point winning performances by junior Christina Matz (McKinney) and Brittney Dodson (Amarillo). Senior Ashlie Soderstrom also earned a win on the flat, defeating KSU?™s Kendall Marvin, 75-67.
With the overall score 9-6, the Aggies leaned on their reiners to close the door on the Wildcats. After KSU closed the gap to 9-7, junior Tonna Brooks (Newberg, Ore.) secured no less than a tie for the Aggies with a much deserved MVP-award winning performance. Brooks put up the highest western score of the entire day in a 74-72.5 win over Wildcat Dani Pattera.
After Brooks secured the tie, KSU came right back with a second reining win to close the gap to 10-8, however that would prove to be their final victory of the day. Sophomore nationals veteran Maddi Williams (Valley View) put together a solid run to clinch one of the Aggies?™ most important individual wins of the season. Williams topped KSU?™s Kaylee Stout, 71-69.5. Maggie Gratny (Leavenworth, Kan.) set the final margin of victory at 12-8, earning her first collegiate win in her home state for the Aggies, 72.5-72.
A&M?™s horsemanship riders dodged a few early bullets, responding from being down 2-0 early to come back and earn a 3-2 win. Sophomore Caroline Gunn (Greensburg, Ind.), who is the only Aggie to ever win an MVP award despite losing in Manhattan a year ago, won the award for a win this time around, defeating Jana Lectenburg, 73-72.
Junior co-captain Sibyl Parsons (Combine) continued her undefeated romp through the season with a 73-72.5 win over KSU?™s Laura Browne. Freshman Randi Standley (Madisonville) continued to establish her reputation for being dependable in the clutch despite her youthful age, winning the horsemanship discipline for the Aggies in the final ride, 73-72.5.
Over fences, freshman Brooke Coleman (Houston) found her way back into the win column, with a 78-77 victory over Wildcat Bridget Doyle. Sophomore Lindsay Smith (West Friendship, Md.) ran her seasonal record to 5-1 with a 79-72 win over Kendall Marvin in the first match of the day.
A JV competition was also held in conjunction with the varsity show. The Aggies earned the win in it also, downing KSU, 8-6, while winning all four MVP awards.
Freshman Amanda Goldman (Coto de Caza, Calif.) equaled the highest fence score of the entire day in an 83-74 MVP win over Juliann Todd. Senior Viviana Cordero (Sunland, Calif.) and redshirt freshman Jenn Scholl (Austin) also earned wins to give A&M a 3-1 edge in JV fences.
Senior Tegan Zealy (Tampa, Fla.) grabbed MVP honors on the flat, scoring a show-best 84 points, while Cordero added a flat win to the fences one she snagged a few hours earlier.
KSU grabbed a 3-1 win in JV horsemanship, however sophomore Amanda Cushman (Huntsville) grabbed the judges?™ attention most, thanks to a 71.5-70.5 win over Wildcat Mikaela Sundgren.
The Aggies ended the entire day of showing by sweeping both JV reining matches. Senior Hanna Lindskog (Boerne) and sophomore Leah Ward (Terrell) both beat KSU?™s Dana Johnson. Lindskog earned the MVP honors with a 68-67 win.
Following all the day?™s victories, A&M finds itself with a perfect 6-0 overall team record. The Aggies also moved to a perfect 6-0 in hunter seat competition while the western girls are right behind them at 5-1.
The Aggies will be back in action at 11 a.m. in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday to face rival Oklahoma State (3-0) with the victor becoming the only remaining undefeated team left in the Big 12 this season.
