Generals Edge Eagles by One Point to Claim Title

WEYERS CAVE, Va. --- Washington and Lee University rallied from a fourth-place finish in the first class over fences Wednesday afternoon to win the next two classes and claim the 2014 ODAC Equestrian Championship held at the Bridgewater College Equestrian Center.

Full Results

Washington and Lee finished with 17 points, edging Bridgewater by one point to claim the title. Sweet Briar placed third with 14 points, followed by Randolph College with 10 points, Lynchburg College with five points and Hollins University with four points.

The team scoring was based on a 7-5-4-3-2-1 points system with the class winner receiving seven points and working down to the sixth-place team which garnered one point.

The Bridgewater riders took the early lead by winning the first class over fences with a score of 253.88. Sweet Briar was a close second with 250.25 points. Individually, Randolph’s Meaghan Hynes had the top average in the first round with 87.5 points.

The Generals started their comeback by winning the second class over fences. Claire Stevenson, the ODAC Rider of the Year, and  Caleigh Wells, the ODAC Rookie of the Year, led the W&L comeback. Stevenson posted the high score in the second class over fences with an average of 87.25. Wells had an 86.0 average, the third best score in the second round. The Generals won the second class over fences with a total of 251.8 points. Bridgewater finished second in the class to maintain the overall lead with 12 team points heading into the final class on the flat.

The conference championship was decided on the flat with the Generals posting a winning team score of 173 points. Stevenson and Laura Lemon recorded identical scores of 86.5 points to pace the Generals to the first place finish on the flat.

Bridgewater needed a second-place finish to tie W&L for the title, but the Eagles finished third in the class behind Sweet Briar. The Vixens' Olivia Smith had the top ride of the flat with an average score of 88.0.

In addition to claiming the Rider and Rookie of the Year awards, W&L also took the Coach of the Year plaque with Gordon Reistrup receiving the honor. Hollins rider Cecelia Parks was named the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Equestrian Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Joining W&L’s Stevenson and Wells on the All-ODAC team were Sweet Briar’s Abigail Strohmeyer and Kathleen Drake, Lynchburg’s Allison Renzulli, Bridgewater’s Emily Manos, Kayla Deyarmin, Taylor Rose and Kaitlan Parker, and Randolph’s Meaghan Hynes.

The all-conference team features the Top 10 finishers at the ODAC Championship Show based only on their averages over fences during the competition.

Stevenson and Rose earned All-ODAC honors for the second straight year.

--- This release is courtesy of the Bridgewater College sports information department. ---