Feb. 7, 2015
BISHOP, Ga. – No. 3 South Carolina defeated Delaware State, 17-2, in the second half of Saturday’s doubleheader at the UGA Equestrian Complex. The Gamecocks swept all four MVP awards while winning their seventh straight meet.
Including today’s win over Delaware State and the Gamecocks’ 2012 victory over Auburn in the first round of the Southern Equestrian Championship, South Carolina has won six straight meets at the UGA Equestrian complex.
“We knew coming in to this weekend that in order to come home with two wins, that we’d have to be on our A-game all day,” South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. “After a very tight meet with Georgia, I was really proud of everyone for approaching the Delaware State meet with the same intensity. It’s easy to suffer a letdown right after such an exhausting meet, but the girls hung in there and really rode well today and I think they executed well.”
The Gamecocks took control of Saturday’s meet from the start by winning four of five points in equitation over fences. Junior Samantha Kraus won the first point of the meet when she defeated Hayley Anderson, 83-72. Senior hunt seat captain Amber Henter followed with an 86-78 win over Delaware State’s Caroline Schock. After the Hornets won the next point to cut the Gamecocks’ lead to just one point, Carolina won the next two jumping points to take a 4-1 lead. Freshman Nora Jodrey shined in her debut for the Gamecocks, defeating Delaware State’s Tiffany Lee, 81-75. Redshirt junior Samantha Smith claimed MVP honors when she posted an event-high score 87 to win her point by 27 points.
“Just like in the earlier meet against Georgia, the hunt seat team started strong for us and they did what we needed them to do,” Major said. “We’re extremely proud of Nora for winning her first point today, and I thought Sam Smith had a great trip today and earned the MVP.”
In the western arena, South Carolina’s horsemanship team swept the Hornets, winning all five points to give the Gamecocks a 9-1 lead at the halfway point.
Sophomore Lindsey Slack won her first point as a Gamecock, defeating Elizabeth Koons, 77-75. Freshman Megan Overberg followed by winning her first point as a Gamecock too, knocking off Abigail Buckwalter, 77.5-76. Junior Kelsey Urban gave the Gamecocks a 7-1 lead when she defeated Brooke Moore, 76-69.5. Junior Abigail Pait earned MVP honors when she picked up a 77.5-72.5 victory over Alexis Gratowski. Senior western captain Sam Chiodo finished the five-point sweep when she edged Delaware State’s Cailynn Fedorkowics, 77-76.5.
“Our horsemanship team, and our entire western team for that fact, was phenomenal,” Major said. “It was pretty exciting to have Lindsey and Megan go back-to-back and win their first career points today. Some of the scores were pretty close and I thought they all did a great job of fighting for each point.”
In the flat arena, the Gamecocks continued to pull away, winning four-of-five points to take a 13-2 lead.
Senior Katherine Schmidt won the first flat point for Carolina, defeating Delaware State’s Schock by 13 points. Senior Alexa Anthony followed and earned MVP honors as she dropped Heather Hotz, 82-67. Kraus finished her 2-for-2 day with an 80-73 win over Hayley Anderson. Delaware State’s Carlin Savage completed her 2-for-2 day for the Hornets by winning her flat point, but Carolina sophomore Lisa Perri posted an event-high score 84 to claim her first point a Gamecock and close out the 4-1 win.
“I thought we rode much better on the flat against Delaware State than we did against Georgia, and the results showed it,” Major said. “Very proud of Katherine, Alexa, and Sammi K for a great day, but also for Lisa who was outstanding. We a had a lot of folks win their first points today and that’s something we always like to recognize.”
South Carolina’s reining team finished the shutout that the horsemanship team started, winning the final event 4-0.
Senior Cody McMillion earned MVP honors and posted an event-high score 71.5 to knock off Kali Voshell, who scored a 68. After freshman Paisley Roberts held Delaware State’s Moore to a 63.5-63.5 tie, junior Sarah Bouchard finished off her perfect day by winning her point over Elizabeth Koons. Sophomore Kara Guertin won her second point of the season when she edged Brianna Fedorkowicz, 68-67. Freshman Bailey Walters closed out the meet with a 69.5-69 victory over Alexis Gratowski.
The Gamecocks return to action on Feb. 21, when South Carolina travels to College Station, Texas to face Texas A&M. It will be the first of three trips to the Lonestar State for the Gamecocks, who will return to College Station in March for the SEC Championship and then to Waco in April for the NCEA National Championship.
SC-DSU Play-by-Play (Unofficial)
1-0 : Samantha Kraus defeats Hayley Anderson, 83-72, on Colin.
2-0 : Amber Henter defeats Caroline Schock, 86-78, on Gambler.
2-1 : Carlin Savage defeats Katherine Schmidt, 74-65, on Owen.
3-1 : Nora Jodrey defeats Tiffany Lee, 81-75, on Romeo.
4-1 : Samantha Smith defeats Hayley Jeske, 87-60, on Tony.
5-1 : Lindsey Slack defeats Elizabeth Koons, 77-75, on Abner.
6-1 : Megan Overberg defeats Abigail Buckwalter, 77.5-76, on Otto.
7-1 : Kelsey Urban defeats Brooke Moore, 76-69.5, on Patch.
8-1 : Abigail Pait defeats Alexis Gratowski, 77.5-72.5, on Tuffy.
9-1 : Sam Chiodo defeats Cailynn Fedorkowics, 77-76.5, on Whiz.
10-1 : Katherine Schmidt defeats Caroline Schock, 78-65, on Boogie.
11-1 : Alexa Anthony defeats Heather Hotz, 82-67, on Colin.
12-1 : Samantha Kraus defeats Hayley Anderson, 80-73, on Gradey.
12-2 : Carlin Savage defeats Adele Norton, 79-69, on Jake.
13-2 : Lisa Perri defeats Sofia Zingale, 84-0, on Moulin.
14-2 : Cody McMillion defeats Kali Voshell, 71.5-68, on Banjo.
14-2 : Paisley Roberts and Brooke Moore tie, 63.5-63.5, on Dungaree.
15-2 : Sarah Bouchard defeats Elizabeth Koons, 69.5-0, on Peeko.
16-2 : Kara Guertin defeats Brianna Fedorkowics, 68-67, on Garth (re-ride).17-2 : Bailey Walters defeats Alexis Gratowski, 69.5-69, on Woody.
17-2 : South Carolina defeats Delaware State.
