ASHAWAY, R.I. – Junior Makayla Williams, sophomore Sarah Walsh, and freshmen Kate Scherer and Morgan Hoopes secured first-place finishes for the JWU (Providence) IHSA program, which finished third this past Saturday at Hunter Ridge. The Wildcats finished with 28 points, which trailed URI (31) and Brown (28), and bested Salve Regina (22).

Scherer and Williams earned a share of first in Class 4 Limit Hunter Sat Equitation over Fences, whole both Hoopes and Walsh shared first-place in Class 2B Novice Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat.

Second-place finishers included freshman Grace Taylor (Class 7 Open Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat), sophomore Isabelle Pacella (Class 4 Limit Hunter Sat Equitation over Fences), junior Tori Stedman (Class 3 Limit Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat), and junior Danielle Smyrnios (Class 2B Novice Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat).

Junior Samantha Stepanik placed third in Class 7 Open Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat, as did Pacella in Class 3 Limit Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat and freshman Alex Schicker in Class 2B Novice Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat.

Taylor placed fourth in Class 8 Open Hunter Seat Equitation over Fences while sophomore Scarlett Siskind did the same in Class 6 Intermediate Hunter Seat Equitation over Fences, along with Scherer in Class 3 Limit Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat, sophomore Caitlin Talbot in Class 1 Introductory Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat, and classmate Lucas Ford in Class 2B Novice Hunter Seat Equitation on the Flat.

"After a slow start, our Wildcats pulled together to keep us from losing too much ground in the season team standings," said head coach Dirk Fogg. "I am very pleased with the performance from our Limit, Novice, and Introductory riders. Multiple wins from Morgan Hoopes, Kate Sherer, Sarah Walsh, and Makayla Williams provided both offensive points and blocked other teams from pulling too far ahead.  These student-athletes were supported by strong results from Isabelle Pacella, Tori Stedman, and Dannie Smyrnios."

JWU holds a 146-140 lead over URI in the mid-season team standings, followed by Brown 9124), Salve Regina (113), RIC (102), and Roger Williams (97). In terms of the Cacchione Cup standings (combined points from Open classes 8 & 7), Stepanik (43) and Taylor (41) sit 1-2 in the rankings.