FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 9 Fresno State equestrian team defeated No. 5 Oklahoma State inside the Animal Science Pavilion on Fresno State's campus 10-9 on Saturday. The Bulldogs used seven points in the final two events to defeat the Cowgirls on Senior Day.
The highlight of the meet was a program record by senior Sara Tuck as she scored a 96 in the flat to earn her point. Sarah Semrau was a shining point in the reining as she scored just half a point shy of her own career-best and the program's record, riding to a 78.5 in today's meet. Both Tuck and Semrau earned the MOPs in the meet.
Fresno State honored its seven seniors at the conclusion of the meet - Ana Bertozzi, Hannah Hieber, Ashley Jackson, Emily Maul, Julianne Kelley, Alex Krebs and Sara Tuck.
How it happened
Oklahoma State and Fresno State battled tough in the fences as the Cowgirls took the event, 3-2. Fresno State earned points from senior Ana Bertozzi and junior Elle Martin.
The Cowgirls pulled away in the meet with a 4-1 win in the horsemanship. Fresno State's lone point was scored by Ella Storch with a career-high 76.5 to her opponent's 69.5.
Trailing 7-3, the Bulldogs responded with a 5-0 sweep in the flat to take an 8-7 lead in the meet. Tuck was the highlight of the afternoon with her program record 96. Elle Martin and JIllian Spencer also rode for career-high scores on Saturday with an 88 and 80, respectively.
The meet came down to the reining. Fresno State had high-scoring first round rides, but Oklahoma State opened up with the first two points of the event to take a 9-8 lead. Oklahoma State's Hannah Lovrien had a score that was held for review, then Semrau rode to her MOP ride for the first Bulldog point. OSU's Quincee Clark was the 10th rider as she rode for a 74.5 tie with Julianne Kelley. The meet came down to the video review score, as things were tied at nine a piece. Lovrien was granted a 0, leading to a point earned for the Bulldogs by Shelby Robinette that would conclude the meet with a Fresno State win.
Notable
Fresno State defeated Oklahoma State for just the third time in program history.
Fresno State defeated Oklahoma State for the first time since Oct. 25, 2019.
The Bulldogs earned a win over OSU for the second time as conference opponents.
The Bulldogs earned a win over a Top 5 team for the first time since Mar. 4, 2022.
It was just the 12th time in program history that the Bulldogs defeated a Top 5 program.
Sara Tuck scored a program record 96 in the flat
Tuck earned her fifth flat win of the year, and her fourth MOP in the event.
Elle Martin (88) and Jillian Spencer (80) also set career-high scores in the flat.
Kendra Lee set a career-high in the horsemanship with a 75.5
Ella Storch rode for a career-high 76.5 in the horsemanship.
Up Next
Fresno State awaits the seedings for the Big 12 Championship, set for March 24-25 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.