ANNAPOLIS, Md. â€" The Navy rifle team began its 2016-17 season on Saturday by picking up a pair of victories in a home tri-meet at the Bancroft Hall Rifle Range. On the strength of a 4,634-point output, the Mids defeated both VMI and John Jay as the Keydets recorded a 4,507 score, while the Bloodhounds turned in a 4,390.

Standout performances by Amy Hammer (Fr., Central City, Pa.), Thomas Sarant (Jr., Massapequa, N.Y.) and Daniel Jonas (Sr., Allentown, N.J.) helped Navy open its season with an 18-point improvement over last year's first match. In her first collegiate match, Hammer came out of the gates with a match-high 577 score in smallbore before registering a 588 in air rifle for a 1,165-point aggregate. During the 2015-16 season, Navy only had five occasions where a shooter recorded an aggregate of better than 1,165 with Jonas earning the season-high mark of 1,169.

"Today was a really good showing by the team," remarked head coach Bill Kelley. "This a great sign for the season, that here we are in the first match of the year with only a month of training and we're turning in one of our better scores in the 4,630s, even without two senior starters from last season. Our air rifle was really good, I'm really pleased. Honestly, my concern coming into the season was for air rifle with an All-American in Jodi Cull-Host and a four-year starter in Zach Gibson graduating.

"In smallbore, we had really good start in kneeling; one of our best starts. We were then pretty solid in slings. Standing could've been better, but it wasn't too bad. We got results from all of our classes."

Sarant and Jonas provided strong depth behind Hammer with Sarant scoring himself a 1,159-point aggregate and Jonas right behind with a final tally of 1,158. Sarant's performance on Saturday was a career-best as only once in 2015-16 did he reach the 1,150-point threshold. Versus VMI and John Jay, the Long Island native shot a 568 in smallbore and a match-best 591 in air rifle. Sarant's 591 mark is a career-high. Jonas turned in scores of 573 in smallbore and 585 in air rifle.

With the addition of Josh Watson's (So, Enterprise, Ala.) 565-point effort in smallbore and 587 in air rifle, Navy ended the day with respective totals of 2,283 in smallbore and 2,352 in air rifle. That score in air rifle is two points off the school-record that was set last season in the President's Trophy Match.

As non-starters, both Alex Muzzioli (Fr., Tiverton, R.I.) and Nash Richardson (So., Rhodesdale, Md.) recorded strong showings as they shot identical 568-point scores in smallbore before Muzzioli shot a 575 in air rifle, while Richardson was close behind with a 572.

"Overall, it was interesting to see the diversity in terms of ages and experience," said Kelley. "Everyone stepped up. Smallbore needs to be a little bit better, but I'm very pleased with this type of performance in just our first match. Next weekend will be very busy with two matches, but I think we'll be ready. This was a very encouraging week; for the immediate future, as well as the long-term future of Navy Rifle."

Navy will be back in action next weekend with a pair of home matchups. First up for the Mids will be a non-conference tri-meet against the United States Coast Guard Academy and the University of Sciences on Saturday at 8 a.m. before the University of Memphis comes to Annapolis for the Great American Rifle Conference opener for both programs on Sunday at 9 a.m.