April 12, 2012
WACO -
2012 NCEA CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
The No. 4 seed Baylor Hunter Seat team opened its quest for a National Collegiate Equestrian Association title by disposing of No. 5 SMU, 7-1 in the first round bye portion of the bracket Thursday night at the Extraco Events Center in Waco.
"We rode very well tonight and looked like the team we are capable of being," head coach Ellen White said. "We will face a hungry and upset Auburn team tomorrow afternoon and we need to be ready."
The Bears will face the No. 1 seeded Tigers on Friday for the first time this season, with action set to begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. CT. Auburn escaped No. 9 Kansas State with a 1119-1057 win on points after a 4-4 tie.
Baylor pounced out to a 4-0 lead in Flat, as Samantha Schaefer led all scorers with a 160. Kim Woodsum (144), Taylor Brown (143) and Lisa Goldman (128) rounded out the scoring for the Bears.
BU never let the Mustangs back in, taking the commanding win in Fences, 3-1. Schaefer's 177 was the highest of the night, with Ashley Ann McGehee (165), and Brown (157) taking home high scores for Baylor.
This will mark the second-straight season that the Bears have reached the semifinals, falling to Georgia in the 2011 semis.
The No. 7 seeded Western squad fell to No. 10 TCU 5-3, with the Bears and Horned Frogs opening to a 2-2 tie in Reining. Olivia Rogers (136) and Ellie Powell (131) picked up the points for BU, heading to Horsemanship.
In Horsemanship, Parris Rice's 146.5 tied for high score of the day, as she evened the score at 3-3 with her point, but Baylor fell in the next two rides to drop a 5-3 decision.
