HARRINGTON, Del. — The top-seeded UC Davis equestrian team secured its spot in the conference title match on Friday, fending off a late surge from No. 4 Delaware State to earn a 10-9 victory in the ECAC Semifinals. After earning a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed, the Aggies relied on a dominant showing in the Jumping Seat events to hold off the Hornets and advance to Saturday's championship round.

The Aggies set a strong tone early in Fences, claiming the discipline 3-2. Sabine Close delivered a standout performance aboard Gino, riding to an event-high 86.5 to secure her point and earn herself MOP honors. Lauren Kolbe remained clinical on Cici, posting an 81.5 to take her matchup, while Chloe Fares capitalized on her ride aboard Todd, scoring a 57.5 to defeat her opponent (0) and round out the Aggie scoring.

The momentum stayed with UC Davis as they moved to the Flat, where they once again outscored the Hornets 3-2. Carmen Gonzalez posted a clinical 86 aboard Tito to take her point, while Cavan Smith secured her point with an 83 aboard Elton. Lauren Kolbe delivered a dominant 79.5 on Todd to defeat her opponent by a 9.5-point margin, sweeping her Jumping Seat matchups for the day and thus earning herself MOP honors.

In the Western arena, the Aggies faced a tough battle in Horsemanship, with Delaware State claiming the event 3-2. Eliza Plum provided a spark for Davis, scoring a 73.5 on Felon to win her point, while Laura Kate Holliday showed her composure on Wilson, posting a 73 to defeat her opponent.

The meet was decided in Reining, where the two teams battled to a 2-2 draw to protect the Aggie lead. Ada Hirschfeld earned a crucial point for the Aggies with a 66.75 on Lyle, while Mya Clader delivered under pressure to snag the final point needed to seal the overall victory, earning herself MOP honors. Avery Adamson fought to a gritty 68.25 – 68.25 tie to ensure the Hornets could not complete the comeback, allowing the Aggies to advance with the 10-9 final score.

UP NEXT: The Aggies will face No. 2 seed South Dakota State tomorrow, Saturday, Mar. 28, in the ECAC Championship at 7:00 a.m. PT (10:00 a.m. ET).

ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: 
UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27. 

For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.