No. 7 EQ Falls To No. 10 South Carolina, 11-8

Thursday, September 29

Columbia, S.C.

11 AM

Baylor

South Carolina

No. 7 EQ Falls To No. 10 South Carolina, 11-8

9/29/2022 3:37:00 PM | Equestrian

Box Score

Bears win both Western events, but come up short on Jumping Seat side

THE RUNDOWN
COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 7 Baylor equestrian (0-1) opened its 2022-23 season with a loss at No. 10 South Carolina (3-0), 11-8, Thursday at One Wood Farm in Columbia, S.C.

The Bears and the Gamecocks split the two first-half events, as BU claimed a 3-2 victory in Horsemanship but was shut out in Flat, 5-0. In the second half, SC edged out an event win in Fences, 3-2, though the Bears claimed Reining, 3-1.

Baylor saw strong rides from Bella Rosa (75) and Nadalee Vasquez (75.5) in Horsemanship, Dominika Silvestri (84) and Annie Vorhies (84) in Fences and Jenna Meimerstorf (71) in Reining. Madaline Callaway was named the Most Outstanding Performer in Reining after her point-winning ride on Stoner that scored a 70.5.

To begin the day, the Bears got off to a hot start with quick points from Rosa and Vasquez in the Western arena. After SC knotted the event score at 2-2, Elsie Naruszewicz won her Horsemanship matchup with a score of 70 on Willy to give BU the early advantage. However, the Gamecocks responded by sweeping all five points in Flat and taking a 7-3 lead into the halftime pause.

After the break, the comeback bid was on following back-to-back points from Vorhies and Silvestri in Fences, but South Carolina rallied back to take the next three matchups and keep the Bears at arm's length. Reining concluded the action, and though Baylor won the event 3-1, it wouldn't be enough to catch the Gamecocks. Meimerstorf tied her head-to-head with the highest score of the event, while Jessica Batton (70.5), Callaway and Daisy Kaufman (69) each put tallies on the board for BU.

NOTABLES
• Baylor is now 3-3 all-time in season-openers under sixth-year head coach Casie Maxwell.
• BU won both Western events with a 3-2 victory in Horsemanship and a 3-1 win in Reining.
• Madaline Callaway collected her seventh-career Most Outstanding Performer honor in Reining with a 70.5 on Stoner.
• Junior Jessica Batton and freshman Lauren Reid made their collegiate debuts.
• Batton won her first-career point with a 70.5 in Reining against SC's Mary Margaret Coats (70).
• Annie Vorhies scored a career-high 84 in Fences and won her point against SC's Nina Columbia (75).

STAT OF THE MEET
6 – Baylor won both Western events, Horsemanship and Reining, with six total points.

TOP QUOTES
Head Coach Casie Maxwell
On today's meet…
"A tough outcome today but I commend our team on fighting until the last ride and never giving up. I thought we exuded a lot of confidence and adjusted really well today, which is so important early in the season. We'll need to make a few adjustments before tomorrow, but we're looking forward to the opportunity to bounce back so quickly."

WHAT'S NEXT
No. 7 Baylor (0-1) travels to No. 5 Georgia (0-0) for a 9 a.m. CT matchup on Friday against the Bulldogs at the Georgia Equestrian Complex in Athens, Ga.

To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor equestrian, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorEQ.

-BaylorBears.com-