FRESNO, Calif. — Sophomore
Ella Longo and freshman
Carly Sweeney each won a pair of points, while sophomore
Sierra Gundersen nearly set a school-record on the flat, but host and No. 8-ranked Fresno State outlasted No. 10 UC Davis for a 12-8 victory on Thursday afternoon at the Student Horse Center.
The Aggies fell to 0-2 following the rematch with the Bulldogs, another close contest between the two rivals following a 10-9 decision in favor of Fresno State back on Feb. 13 in Davis.
Junior
Keely Laughlin put her team on the board first in fences with a 79 and a one-point win over Lizzie Stodden, giving the Aggie her 11th career win in the event, her fifth straight victory dating back to last year, and her seventh triumph in her last eight head-to-head match-ups.
Longo then followed with a season-high 80 and Sweeney added another season best with a 74 for a 3-2 win in the event. Gundersen added a season-best 77, while freshman
Jess Behar made her collegiate debut with a 67.
Meanwhile in the Western arena, the Bulldogs racked up a 4-1 win in horsemanship to take a 6-4 lead at the break. Sophomore
Kayla Hickey logged UC Davis' lone point in the event with a 74.0 on a re-ride, tying for the fifth-highest score in horsemanship in school history. Freshman
Gracie Howell scored a 70 in her collegiate debut, while classmate
Jordan Schween posted a 69.5 to set a new career best.
Fresno State inched ahead with a 3-2 win in reining as sophomore
Macey Newkirk (68.5) and freshman
Lauren Langbaum (69.5) accounted for the Aggies' scoring — the latter tying her career-high in the event. Freshman
Amber Nusser added a career-best 68.5, while sophomore
Kendal Scheiner finished with a season-high 68.
That set the stage for Gundersen's performance on the flat, putting together the best scoring ride by an Aggie in that event since
Laura Wise set the record with an 89 against Delaware State in the program's debut on Jan. 31, 2019.
Longo, who previously held the No. 2 spot on the flat with her 86 in the first meeting with Fresno State, scored a point with an 80, and was joined in the scoring column by Sweeney, who scored a 76 to tie her career high. Freshman
Nicole Beales, who made her debut in the event two weeks ago, also added a career best of her own with a 74.
The two programs take a break from one another until meeting again on March 11 at 11 a.m. in Fresno. The meet is scheduled to be shown on the Mountain West Network.
#8 FRESNO STATE 12, #10 UC DAVIS 8
Feb. 25, 2021 • Student Horse Center • Fresno, Calif.
Fences (UC Davis, 3-2)
Keely Laughlin (UCD) def. Lizzie Stodden (FSU), 79-78
Sara Tuck (FSU) def.
Jess Behar (UCD), 68-67
Ana Bertozzi (FSU)* def.
Sierra Gundersen (UCD), 83-77
Ella Longo (UCD) def. Cecily Hayes (FSU), 80-69
Carly Sweeney (UCD) def. Grace Mathias (FSU), 74-0
Flat (Fresno State, 3-2)
Sara Tuck (FSU) def.
Nicole Beales (UCD), 80-74
Ana Bertozzi (FSU)* def.
Sierra Gundersen (UCD), 89-87
Carly Sweeney (UCD) def. Elle Martin (FSU), 76-74
Ella Longo (UCD) def. Cecily Hayes (FSU), 80-76
Grace Mathias (FSU) def.
Keely Laughlin (UCD), 68-67
Horsemanship (Fresno State, 4-1)
Kayla Hickey (UCD) def. Hannah Buijs (FSU), 74.0-69.5
Kameron Thorn (FSU) def.
Gracie Howell (UCD), 75.5-72.0
Emily Maul (FSU) def.
Maddie Gregory (UCD), 73.0-70.0
Brooklyn Moch (FSU) def.
Jordan Schween (UCD), 73.0-69.5
Alexis Steele (FSU)* def.
Amber Nusser (UCD), 75.0-69.5
Reining (Fresno State, 3-2)
Lexee Padrick (FSU) def.
Kendal Scheiner (UCD), 69.5-68.0
Macey Newkirk (UCD) def. Bailey Alexander (FSU), 68.5-68.0
Julianne Kelley (FSU) def.
Charlize Zuraek (UCD), 66.0-61.5
Paley Capachi (FSU)* def.
Amber Nusser (UCD), 70.0-68.5
Lauren Langbaum (UCD) def. Hannah Hieber (FSU), 69.5-68.0
* denotes Most Outstanding Player
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Over 700 student-athletes across 25 intercollegiate athletics teams, following the addition of equestrian and women's beach volleyball in 2018, represent the fifth-ranked public school in the nation.
Centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and the Napa Valley, UC Davis is known nationwide as a leader in Title IX gender equity and leadership, ranks annually in the top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility and offers an unrivaled student-athlete experience that features the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics and personal growth.
UC Davis is uncommonly committed to preparing student-athletes for life after graduation with Aggie EVO — an innovative student-athlete outcomes program that helps young women and men develop passions, gain real-world experience, and enjoy a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school. Through Aggie EVO, Intercollegiate Athletics provides unmatched resources and a vast network of working professionals to ensure post-graduation success for its student-athletes.
