By Michael Haag | Sports Editor
No. 8 Baylor equestrian head coach Casie Maxwell had to juggle the joy of winning the first match of the fall with the realization her team could’ve performed much better.
The Bears squeaked by Fresno State in a raw-score tiebreaker 1623.5-1609.5 Thursday evening at the Willis Family Equestrian Center, and Maxwell thought Baylor could have had a better showing.
Maxwell said the Bears’ tiebreaking win over Fresno State wasn’t pretty but that “a win’s a win.” Baylor held an early 4-1 lead before allowing the Bulldogs to creep back in and knot the tally at 9-9, forcing a decision.
“Today was too close for comfort, for sure,” Maxwell said. “Really proud of them to just keep fighting until the very last ride and not let themselves get unnerved by this today.”
The Bears (1-3, 1-1 Big 12) had two athletes earn Most Outstanding Performer awards: fifth-year senior Jumping Seat rider Dominika Silvestri and sophomore Western rider Kalena Reynolds. Silvestri earned hers in Fences and Reynolds’ came in Reining.
Silvestri (Fences) notched her first MOP of the season, and she tied a program record with seven career MOP honors, a mark that was first set by Savannah Jenkins in 2017.
Silvestri, an NCEA All-American last year, utilized her fifth year of eligibility and said Baylor has been an incredible place for her. She added that the recognitions are just a bonus that show how far she’s come.
“I think I’ve seen all sides of the team, from warm-up riding to the bench to starting,” Silvestri said. “So it’s been great to see that climb and just know that there’s a lot of hard work behind it all.”
Reynolds (Reining) set a new career high with a 71.5 aboard Cowboy. Her MOP was the first of her career, and she’s in her first year of competition. The Austin native said Maxwell talked to her before the run and made her feel more confident about it.
“She just told me I needed to go in planning to win, being in control and planning to have a good run,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds also said it was an honor to be recognized after the meet with Silvestri, who was the 2023 Big 12 Flat Rider of the Year.
The Bears jumped out to a 4-1 lead after taking Fences. Senior Jumping Seat rider Madison Mitchell (84), sophomore Jumping Seat rider Lauren Reid (84), Silvestri (85) and fifth-year senior Jumping Seat rider Maddie Vorhies (80) all scored for Baylor.
The Bulldogs (0-4, 0-2 Big 12) closed the gap a little bit when they fell in Flat 3-2, but the Bears found success off their momentum from Fences. Sophomore Jumping Seat rider Lauren Jorgensen (84), Mitchell (84) and Reid (78) were the ones to collect points this time. Jorgensen and Mitchell have notched Flat points in each of their last three meets.
Silvestri said the quick start helped the team down the stretch and that this result was manifested since the team’s loss at Oklahoma State in October.
“Everyone’s been battling in practice and knowing that it’s at the touch of our fingertips,” Silvestri said.
Fresno State began its comeback with a 3-0 win in Horsemanship. Baylor fifth-year senior Western rider Elsie Naruszewicz (76.5) and senior Western rider Bella Rosa (77.5) both tied their matchup points thanks to a pair of season-highs. Rosa set a new career high with her run aboard Vegas.
The Bears held a one-point lead going into Reining, and freshman Western rider Riley Cachat (68.5) and Reynolds (71.5) chipped in with two more. Cachat recorded her first career point, while Reynolds had her career-best run.
The Bulldogs snuck away with the 3-2 Reining win, which tied the match at 9-9. Raw-score tiebreaker calculations determined that Baylor was victorious. Maxwell said this was a big step for her team as the fall nears its close.
“We probably won’t win every meet for the rest of the season,” Maxwell said. “It’s going to have its ups and downs, but they just have to kind of keep rolling with that and keep wanting to get better every single time.”
The Bears won’t host another team for the rest of the fall. With three road matches left, Baylor first travels to play at No. 1 TCU on Friday, Nov. 10 at Bear Creek Farms in Burleson.
