By Caroline Lindstrom
Reporter
The No. 2 Baylor equestrian team avenged its fall semester loss to No. 8 TCU on Saturday with a 12-8 win over the Horned Frogs.
“We expected to win and I would have been surprised if we didn’t, but the top nine ranked teams are so tight that we can’t get too comfortable,” head coach Ellen White said.
The Bears took the lead with a 3-2 win in fences but the Horned Frogs answered with a 3-2 win in horsemanship. The Bears pulled away with a 4-1 win in flat and secured the victory with a 3-2 win in reining.
“We were neck and neck after jumping and horsemanship so the whole team knew we had to step it up,” freshman Savannah Jenkins said. “Our team is strong with the whole aspect, whether it’s the riders, the girls getting the horses ready or the girls helping us get to the ring on time.”
Jenkins was among three riders who received Most Outstanding Player honors for Baylor. Jenkins received the honors in fences. Most Outstanding Player honors were also given to junior Samantha Schaefer in flat and junior Gillian Chant in horsemanship.
Jenkins said the team needed to beat TCU to show the Horned Frogs it has gotten stronger since the last matchup in the fall. She said the win would help the women get in the zone for the rest of the season.
The Bears next four meets are on the road against some of their toughest competitors. White said the women will prepare for these meets by riding different and more challenging horses.
“Anyone we play will be gunning for our number two spot, so we have to prepare for every meet like it is a do or die situation,” White said. “We can’t just rely on the fact that we should beat a team because we are ranked higher than them.”
The Bears will travel to Fresno, Calif., to tackle SMU and Fresno State in the Fresno Invite this weekend.
