2/14/2003 - Rifle
Navy Rifle Faces Army Saturday in Star Match

The Navy rifle team puts its 8-1 season record on the line as it heads to West Point, N.Y., Saturday morning for the annual Star Match against rival Army at the Tronsrue Marksmanship Center. The Mids have captured nine-consecutive victories over the Black Knights dating back to 1991, including a 7692-7625 triumph last season in Annapolis.

The two teams competed against each other, but not in dual-match form, and the other service academies in the President's Trophy match Nov. 9, 2002, in West Point. At the competition, Navy took home the trophy after prevailing with a team score of 7698. Army finished second with a score of 7667, ahead of Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Sophomore Matt Albright (Shelton, Conn.) led the Mids with a 1557 clip.

Albright has continued his success throughout the season, as he set a Naval Academy record in the smallbore with an 1176 in the NCAA-qualifying match last Saturday against SUNY-Maritime. His average total score of 1553.9 leads the team and is one of three Mids' average scores over 1530.

Team captain James Kauber (Burlington, Wash.) has posted a 1539.0 average, including a career-best 1164 in the smallbore at the President's Trophy match and two scores of 392 in the air rifle this season.

Sophomore Mike Miller (Albuquerque, N.M.) has registered an average of 1530.9 and was one of two Navy shooters (Albright) to compete in the NRA Junior Sectional on Feb. 1. Miller has registered season-best scores of 1152 in the smallbore against MIT, Wentworth and Mass.-Maritime and 387 in the air rifle against No.-1 ranked Alaska-Fairbanks and then last weekend against SUNY-Maritime.

"Both teams are very good," said Navy head coach Bill Kelley. "The one that performs up to their standard will win, hopefully it will be us. The last couple of years it has been a very close competition, and I anticipate the same again this year."