Sweet Briar, Va. -- Fallyn Belcastro, Kelley McCormick, and Emma Schweizer all won clutch points for University of Lynchburg's National Collegiate Equestrian Association team, leading the Hornets to a 5-3 comeback win over Bridgewater Saturday in the consolation final of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Single Discipline South Region championships.
The teams started with the flat at Sweet Briar College's Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center, and McCormick began the day strong with a 71-point ride on Ozzie to earn Lynchburg the first point of the morning. Bridgewater took the following two points to take an early lead, but freshman Lucy Metzler scored out at 78.5 on Otis to best her Eagles opponent by half a point and tie the meet after fences. BC led the raw-score tiebreak at the midpoint, 295-274.5.
Bridgewater turned the pressure up on the Hornets at the start of the fences discipline when the Eagles' Kelsey Ann Quinn turned in a 90-point ride on Fresco.
Belcastro rode second and scored 80 on Russ to make Lynchburg's start a strong one, but BC's Emily Nuthall responded in the third slot with an 85-point ride on Stiles. McCormick was fourth and scored out at 77 on Covey to keep the Hornets' hopes alive. After Belcastro's opponent failed to best her 80, Lynchburg had the meet tied. Schweizer then came in clutch with an 88-point ride with Stiles to put the Hornets ahead, 4-3, and Bridgewater's final rider came in with a 75 on Covey, giving McCormick the final point and sealing the meet for the Hornets.
In addition to the third-place result, the Hornets cleaned up the all-tournament honors. Metzler won the tournament most outstanding performer award on the flat, and Schweizer was named to the all-tournament team over fences. Lynchburg's Caroline Waters won the ECAC's single discipline sportsperson of the year award.
Visit Lynchburg athletics' home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network. Click here to sign up for email and text alerts from Lynchburg athletics.
Give Lynchburg Sports a like on Facebook, and follow Lynchburg athletics on Instagram and Twitter.
--LYN--
