Equestrian

[Terry Webster]

Heading to the Championship Saturday against Georgia. Going for a Threepeat!

[PonyPride]

... and advanced by beating South Carolina, which is coached by former SMU coach Carol Gwin.

From SMUMustangs.com:

Top-ranked SMU upends No. 5 South Carolina to advance to National Championship

OCALA, Fla. (SMU) – For the fourth time in the last five seasons, the top-ranked SMU equestrian team will compete for a National Championship after earning a double-digit victory over South Carolina, 15-5, on Friday at World Equestrian Center.

The Mustangs (12-4) will seek their third consecutive National Title on Saturday against No. 7 Georgia (8-6, 4-2 SEC) at 9 a.m. CT in Ocala. The meet will air on ESPN3. SMU took both regular season meetings between the two teams.

SMU got off to a flaming hot start, picking up nine of the 10 points in the first half. The Mustangs were lifted by a 4-1 result in Fences and a 5-0 shutout in Reining.

South Carolina (9-6, 1-4 SEC) was able to get back three on the Flat, but SMU got the meet-clinching point during the event. Horsemanship concluded the events of the day by also going in SMU's favor, this time by a 4-1 result.

The Mustangs opened strong, picking up four wins in Fences to earn an early lead. Picking up wins for the Ponies were Augusta Iwasaki, Hannah Hoch, Elli Yeager and Katie Kiely. The high-point scorer for SMU in the event was Hoch, who recorded an 84.

For the fourth time this weekend, SMU swept in an event as it took Reining 5-0 to open up the Western portion of the semifinals. Shelby Clausen, Sara Filiatreau, Chalyce Head, Addi Schmersal and Maria Richards all earned victories for the SMU tally, and Clausen posted the high point of the event with a 71.

Leading 9-1 after two events, the Mustangs surrendered the first three points on the Flat to the Gamecocks. However, Yeager and Kiely were able to get two back to lift SMU over the clinching threshold.

In the final event, SMU secured four of five Horsemanship points to close out its double-digit victory. Picking up wins for the Mustangs were Nya Kearns, Jayna Lagace, Violet Shetler and Alexa Black, with Kearns leading with a score of 77.2.

STREAKING STANGS: SMU extended its nation-leading winning streak to nine with Friday's win. In addition, the Mustangs have won eight straight at the NCEA Championships.

SWEEPS FOR DAYS: The Mustangs earned their fourth sweep of the weekend during the victory, posting a 5-0 result in Reining. During Thursday's opening round win against UT-Martin, SMU swept Fences, Flat and Horsemanship.

UP NEXT: SMU will compete for its third consecutive National Championship on Saturday at 9 a.m. CT against No. 7 Georgia.

[AusTxPony]

These Ladies are something else, congrats.

[Otto]

No kidding -- 2 national championships and a runner-up in 3 years?

List the teams that have done that in recent years, in any sport. I can't think of a single one.