Fresno State Athletics
`Dogs season finale on home turf
3/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Equestrian
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
Friday, March 18
No. 9 Fresno State (3-8) vs. No. 4 Baylor (10-3)
Location: Fresno, Calif. (Student Horse Center)
Updates: Live Scoring, Twitter
Saturday, March 19
No. 9 Fresno State (3-8) vs. South Dakota State (4-6)
Location: Fresno, Calif. (Student Horse Center)
Updates: Live Scoring, Twitter
FRESNO, Calif. - The ninth-ranked Fresno State equestrian team hosts No. 4 Baylor on Friday, March 18 and will conclude the regular season United Equestrian Conference competition with South Dakota State on Saturday, March 19.
Fresno State is 3-8 overall and 3-2 in UEC play with victories over Delaware State (Oct. 2), Tennessee-Martin (Oct. 9) and New Mexico State (Oct. 23). The Bulldogs compete in their fifth league contest on Friday while currently in third behind SMU and Delaware State. The Jackrabbits are positioned fifth and the conference is rounded out with New Mexico in fourth and UT-Martin trailing the six-team league.
"Baylor is a tough team and will not give up points easily," head coach Eric Hubbard said. "Our preparation has been focused on riding with more precision in order to be successful this week. South Dakota State is coming off a big win at home so we will need to be ready to take them on as well."
The tri-meet will be held on campus at the Student Horse Center and features free admission throughout the two-day stretch. The Bulldog's four-person senior class will be honored during a pregame ceremony on Saturday starting at 10:30 a.m.
The squad will graduate three Western riders and one from the Hunt Seat side including Kayli Gobeli, Allie Tamouzian, Morgan Foster and Sydney Elliott.
"This group of seniors has made a significant impact on our team," Hubbard added. "They are a small group of student-athletes but have made an impression that the rest of the team will take with them once they leave the Bulldog family as well. If I could give them any advice it would be that the road life takes you down can sometimes be smooth sailing and other times can be very bumpy, but if you stick to your path the destination will be even more rewarding. These four young ladies have endured a lot while on this team and yet stuck with it to the end. I am proud to have spent my time here at Fresno State with them."
UP AGAINST BAYLOR
The Baylor Bears are 10-3 while riding a win streak over three of the nation's elite equestrian programs -- No. 6 TCU (13-6), No. 5 Oklahoma State (13-6) and No. 7 Kansas State (13-7). The Bears have collected 10 or more points in all but three contests this year and have won a pair of tied-score, raw decisions.
Baylor owns a 7-2 all-time record over Fresno State since the series began in 2007. Friday's action will be the second time the two programs have met during the 2015-16 season as the `Dogs were previously edged 9-6 (Oct. 10) while facing the 2015 Big 12 Champion in Waco, Texas.
The Bulldog's last defeated the Bears in February of 2014 as they upset the No. 2 squad 8-7 on their home dirt. Prior to the NCEA crowning only one overall titleholder, Baylor topped the nation in 2012 as the Hunt Seat National Champion.
FACING SDSU
South Dakota State is 4-6 coming off three consecutive victories while playing host to UT-Martin (W, 11-9), Minnesota-Crookston (W, 15-0) and No. 6 TCU (W, 11-7).
Fresno State is 5-2 all-time while suffering its only two deficits on the road and have three wins on their home turf. In recent history, the `Dogs shutout South Dakota State 10-6 on Feb. 21, 2015 and came out on top, as the first seed during the UEC Championship after defeating both South Dakota State, 12-3, and SMU, 12-4.
ON THE HORIZON
Following this week's doubleheader, Fresno State points towards the 2016 National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) National Championships to start on April 14, 2016.
"Our goal is always to be seeded headed into the National Championship," Hubbard added. "The team has a rough spring but it has made us stronger. We have intently put ourselves into different situations to prepare to be successful at championships this spring."
NCEA National Team Rankings (March 8, 2016)
1. Auburn (9-1)
2. Georgia (10-2)
3. Texas A&M (9-3)
4. Baylor (10-3)
5. Oklahoma State (6-4)
6. TCU (5-7)
7. Kansas State (4-7)
8. SMU (5-7)
9. Fresno State (3-8)
10. Delaware State (5-5)
"Be Bold!" - Follow the `Dogs on social media via Twitter (@FresnoStateEQ), Instagram or on Facebook at facebook.com/fresnostateequestrianteam.
