Eagle Staff Reports
EQUESTRIAN
Aggie riders open spring season with win: The third-ranked Texas A&M equestrian team opened the spring season by winning its fifth consecutive show, taking a 15-5 victory over Delaware State on Saturday at the Brazos County Expo Complex.
The Aggies (6-2) also won their 21st in a row at home, while the Hornets fell to 0-6 on the season.
The A&M hunter seat squad claimed their sixth win in a row with a 7-3 victory.
Over fences, A&M won 3-2. Sophomore Lia Chafee won 83-67 over Kayleigh Karnbach, her sixth win in a row, and earned MVP honors for the second time this year.
Sophomore Elizabeth Solch paced A&M's flat riders, matching a team season high with an 85-point ride and a 34-point win over DSU's Caroline Foltz. Solch's ride earned her MVP honors for the second straight show.
Sophomores Jackie O'Connell (fences) and Maggie Earle (flat) each scored 85 points in exhibition rides.
A&M's western team extended its home unbeaten streak to 12 with an 8-2 win.
The horsemanship squad won four of five rides, and the top four scores were all season highs for the Aggies. Taking high-point and MVP honors was junior Randi Standley with a 78.5-68 victory over Jennifer Pierson. A&M senior Caroline Gunn (78), freshman Carey Nowacek (77) and sophomore Katie Lisabeth (76.5) also scored wins.
A&M's reiners won 4-1. Senior Maggie Gratny remained undefeated this season and took her second straight MVP award with a 71.5-65.5 win over the Hornets' Amanda Hotz.
A&M will face SMU at 10 a.m. Friday in Wilmer and TCU at 6 p.m. Friday in Fort Worth.
TENNIS
Aggie women drop opener at Clemson: CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson won the final three team points to rally past the Texas A&M women's team 4-3 in the first round of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend on Saturday.
A&M built a 3-1 lead but couldn't hold off No. 14 Clemson (4-0).
The Aggies will face Illinois at 8 a.m. Sunday at the Clemson Indoor Tennis Center.
Clemson 4, Texas A&M 3
Saturday at the Clemson Indoor Tennis Center, Clemson, S.C.
Singles
(ITA rankings in parentheses)
1. (88) Elzé Potgieter, A&M, def. (9) Josipa Bek 7-5, 6-4; 2. Keri Wong, CU, def. Morgan Frank 6-3, 0-6, 7-6 (3); 3. (117) Nazari Urbina, A&M, def. (113) Ina Hadziselimovic 6-3, 6-2; 4. (61) Nelly Ciolkowski, CU, def. (118) Lauren Santacroce 6-3, 6-1; 5. Laurianne Henry, CU, def. Sheri Olivier 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (4); 6. Stefi Balda, CU, def. Stephanie Davidson 7-5, 6-3.
Doubles (A&M wins the point)
1. Hadziselimovic/Wong, CU, def. Christi Liles/Potgieter 8-3; 2. Stephanie Davidson/Frank, A&M, def. Ciolkowski/Henry 8-3; 3. Olivier/Urbina, A&M, def. Balda/Bek 8-3.
Order of finish: D1, D2, D3, S4, S3, S1, S2, S6, S5* (*clinched match)
ITA team rankings: No. 14 Clemson; No. 37 A&M
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