OSU equestrian team beats Baylor, falls to SMU

The Oklahoma State University equestrian team split its weekend contests as the Cowgirls beat Baylor 10-8 Friday night in Waco, Texas, for its first victory of the season and 12th straight victory over the Bears.

However, the Cowgirls fell 10-7 to No. 3 Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

In the win over Baylor, the horsemanship unit put forth a 3-1 victory in the event. Claire McDowall rounded out the scoring with her fifthstraight win in the event, dating back to last year, with a 68-64 performance against Gianna Pozzi. Her five-ride winning streak is the longest of any active Cowgirl in any event. It’s her 20th win in the orange and black, and she is among one of the fastest Cowgirls to accomplish the feat.

Maddie Fussell secured the first point of the day for the Cowgirls with her 74.5-74 win over Elsie Naruszewicz. Fussell’s victory was her first of the year.

June Roberson and Bella Rosa of Baylor scored the highest points of the meet, tying at 77 apiece. For Roberson, she came just one point shy of a career best.

Freshman Jalyn McElmurray competed in her first collegiate meet as a Cowgirl and claimed a clutch point with a 72.570.5 outing against Gianna Carley Rutledge. McElmurray’s point made the score 4-4 heading into halftime and effectively forced momentum into the Cowgirls’ direction.

In fences, Riley Hogan’s winning streak in Fences, dating to last year’s NCEA National Tournament, improved to four rides with a 78-71 performance against Caroline Robelen. It’s the second-longest streak among active Cowgirls behind McDowall. Hogan has proved to be a tough beat against the Bears, as her record against them upgraded to 5-0-0 in her career in Fences.

Freshman Bella Holway had another impressive day in Fences, picking up her second consecutive 83-point performance. Holway forced a tie with Lauren Jorgensen in the head-to-head competition.

In flat, the Cowgirls dropped the event by a 3-2 score. Hogan was a winner for the second time on the day, this time with a dominating 8570 win over Maddie Vorhies. For her efforts, Hogan earned MOP honors for the second time in Flat and the seventh time in her career. It’s also her second of the season, after winning MOP in Fences against Texas Christian University. It’s her first win of the year in Flat and the fifth of her career in the event.

Grace McReynolds picked up a season-high 85 points in her ride en route to her first winning ride of the year. She was one of three riders on the day to put up 85 points and the only Cowgirl. McReynolds now has a win in both Fences and Flat on the year.

In reining, the Cowgirls (1-2) put forth a 4-1 record in the event to seal the meet.

Ava Bush was a winner for the first time in her collegiate career. Her point was the first of a crucial four in a row that helped lead to a Cowgirl victory.

Quincee Clark scored next for the Cowgirls with a 69.5-67.5 victory over Kalena Reynolds. It was Clark’s first win of the season and tied the score at eight with one ride remaining.

Abby Budd earned a point after Baylor’s Emily Moomaw’s ride went under review. Her final point sealed the victory and, in just her second collegiate meet, earned MOP accolades.

Tristan Bagby earned the final point of the day with her first winning ride of the season.

In the loss to SMU, Holway and Sydney North highlighted the first half of the exhibition with their respective career highs in fences, and the Cowgirls came away with a 3-2 advantage in the team scoring.

Holway continued her hot start to the season; as the third rider of the event, she put up 91 points in her third-ever ride. Her point total ranks among the best of any Cowgirl fences rider in history, and she was the consensus MOP in the event. Her score is the highest in the event since Hope King scored a 92 last season.

North’s 90-84 victory over Elli Yeager secured OSU’s second point in fences. North continues to establish big numbers over the course of her career, this being the sixth time in her career scoring more than 87 points in a Fences ride.

Paige Jones appeared in her first meet of the season and tied a career-high 82 points. She was the winner over Taylor Madden and earned the fourth-straight win of her career, now the longest streak among active Cowgirls in any event. Jones’ point secured the advantage for the Cowgirls as horsemanship pressed on.

In horsemanship, the Cowgirls and Mustangs scored an even 2-2 in the event totals. Fussell and Roberson earned the second win of each of their season with 73- and 73.5-point performances, respectively. After losing their first rides of the season against TCU, Fussell and Roberson are back on track with a pair of points each over the weekend.

After a re-ride was granted for SMU’s Lily Anderson, Peyton Baxter scored a 70 and tied with Anderson. The tie gave OSU a 5-4 advantage heading into the second half of the competition.

Despite impressive performances from North and Mackenzie Carreras, the Cowgirls faced two 90 or better scores and dropped the flat team score, 4-1.

Ella Reinauer scored OSU’s lone point in the event with an 83-65 victory. It’s Reinauer’s 10th career win inflat, and she’s off to a 2-1 start to the new year.

The Cowgirls fell 2-1 in reining, sealing the victory for SMU. Emma Filiatreau and Bush tied with their respective opponents, forcing only three points to count. Clark, like fellow Western riders Roberson and Fussell, is back on track with her second win of the season by earning OSU’s final point of the day. She earned the fourth reining MOP of her career and first of the season after a close 71-70.5 victory over Maria Richards OSU returns to action Saturday when it hosts No. 4 Texas A&M. The meeting is set to begin at 11 a.m.