Jan. 30, 2016
BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – No. 8 South Carolina kicked off the spring portion of its schedule on Saturday with a 16-3 victory over Tennessee-Martin at One Wood Farm. The Gamecocks improved to 3-5 overall, while the Skyhawks drop to 1-5.
“I’m very proud of the way we rode today and happy to get back in the win column,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “Even though we didn’t have the greatest record during the fall semester, the girls never gave up and continued to work hard and that says a lot about this team. We saw a lot of things to be happy with and we also see some areas that we can work on this week in practice as we get ready to face a tough Georgia team next weekend.”
The Gamecocks opened the meet strong, jumping out to an early 3-1 lead after reining. Junior Makayla Clegg put the Gamecocks on the scoreboard first, winning her first career point as a Gamecock with a 68.5-68 victory. Senior Sarah Bouchard gave the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead and earned her second career M.O.P. award when she beat UT-Martin’s Megan Aiosa by 3.5 points. Freshman Bridgett White won her second point of the season with a victory over Sammi Felts. The Skyhawks won the final reining point to earn their first of three points on the day.
Carolina extended its lead in the jumping arena, as the Gamecocks won 4-of-5 points to take a 7-2 lead at the halfway point of Saturday’s meet. Sophomore Chloe Schmidt kicked off a 4-0 run for the Gamecocks, picking up her second career M.O.P. with a 83-71 win over Nora Wilson. Senior Samantha Kraus kicked off her 2-for-2 day with a 82-76 win over Rachel Crinklaw, and she was followed by freshman Lizzie van der Walde, who beat her UT-Martin opponent by 14 points. Junior Sydney Smith capped off the 4-0 run with an event-high score of 85 to knock off Ali Schofield by 17-points.
The Gamecocks doubled their lead to 10-points after a 5-0 sweep in horsemanship. Led by an M.O.P. win by senior Abigail Pait, Carolina wont all five horsemanship points to take a 12-2 lead over the Skyhawks. Pait kicked off the 5-0 with a 74.5-74 win over Jorden Elmore. Sophomore Megan Overberg won her second point of the season on Saturday with a 73.5-71 victory over Maddie Williams. Junior Bailey Mierzejewski picked up her second point of the season with a 74.5-72 win over Kenzie Perry, and senior Kelsey Urban followed with a half-point victory over Brittany Woodard. Urban’s point came in her season debut, and she is the only horsemanship rider on the team to have won a point in each of her four seasons as a Gamecock. Junior Lindsey Slack closed out the event by winning her third point of the year with a 74-72.5 decision over Cora Rogaski.
In the equitation ring, the flat team matched the jumping team by closing out the meet with a 4-1 win. UT-Martin won the first point of the event, but the Gamecocks went on a 4-0 run, including an M.O.P. win by senior Samantha Kraus. Schmidt capped of her 2-for-2 day with a nine-point win over Reiley Wilson, and van der Walde finished off her 2-for-2 day by posting an event-high score of 86 to beat Elise Beauchamp by 18-points. Kraus picked up her third M.O.P. of the season when she beat Nora Wilson, 82-73, giving Kraus her second 2-for-2 performance of the year. Senior Erin Fry closed out the meet by winning her second point of the season with a 77-71 win over Claire Ottinger.
The Gamecocks return to action on Saturday, Feb. 6 when South Carolina host No. 2 Georgia at 1 p.m.
Unofficial Play-by-Play
SC-UTM
1-0 : Makayla Clegg defeats Laney Hinson, 68.5-68, on Wrangler.
2-0 : Sarah Bouchard defeats Megan Aiosa, 72-68.5, on Puffin.
2-0 : Paisley Roberts ties Kenzie Perry, 63-63, on Fiona.
3-0 : Bridgett White defeats Sammi Felts, 68.5-0, on Boomer.
3-1 : Maddie Williams defeats Bailey Walters, 69-67.5, on Paddy.
4-1 : Chloe Schmidt defeats Nora Wilson, 83-71, on Batman.
5-1 : Samantha Kraus defeats Rachel Crinklaw, 82-76, on Mango.
6-1 : Lizzie van der Walde defeats Reiley Wilson, 77-63, on Lark.
7-1 : Sydney Smith defeats Ali Schofield, 85-68, Indie.
7-2 : Monica Zoromski defeats Nora Jodrey, 75-65, on Joe.
8-2: Abigail Pait defeats Jorden Elmore, 74.5-74, on Reggie.
9-2: Megan Overberg defeats Maddie Williams 73.5-71, on Amos.
10-2: Bailey Mierzejewski defeats Kenzie Perry 74.5-72 on Jazz.
11-2: Kelsey Urban defeats Brittany Woodard 72.5-72 on Paddy.
12-2: Lindsey Slack defeats Cora Regaski 74-72.5 on Caper.
12-3: Rachel Crinklaw defeats Nora Jodrey 76-71 on Cecil.
13-3: Chloe Schmidt defeats Reiley Wilson 81-72 on Toby.
14-3: Lizzie van der Walde defeats Elise Beauchamp 86-68 on Cody.
15-3: Samantha Kraus defeats Nora Wilson 82-73 on Mike.
16-3: Erin Fry defeats Claire Ottinger 77-71, on Keaton.
