MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – For the second-straight week, the ninth-ranked Navy rifle team (8-5, 4-3 Great American Rifle Conference) dropped a road contest following a 4,706-4,660 defeat to second-ranked West Virginia (12-0, 7-0 GARC) on Saturday afternoon at the WVU Rifle Range.
After failing to score at least 4,660 points in two matches last week, the Midshipmen started to find their stride this week with a score of 4,660 against the Mountaineers.
For the third-straight contest and just the fifth time all season, Navy was unable to surpass 2,310 points in smallbore as the Midshipmen's four counting scores only totaled 2,307 points.
Michael Zanti (Fr., Norfolk, Va.) paced Navy with a 580, which was one point off his career best he set at Ole Miss on Oct. 21 this season.
Daniel Enger (So., Walla Walla, Wash.) was just behind with a 60-shot total of 579 to match his season high. Over the last five competitions, Enger has been consistent with three 579s and a pair of 578s.
The final two counting scores for the Mids came from
Kestrel Kuhne (Jr., Everett, Pa.) and
Torrance Kang (So., Columbia, Md.). Kuhne scored a 576 and Kang shot a 572 in smallbore.
West Virginia racked up a team score of 2,332 in the discipline, which is tied for the most a Navy opponent has scored this season after TCU – now ranked No. 1 in the nation – hit the 2,332 mark to start the season on Sept. 29.
In air rifle, Kuhne guided the Navy shooters with a 590, which is his first time she hit at least 590 since the turn of the calendar year. Zanti continued his strong performance on the day with a 589, which was a point off his career best he set last week against North Carolina State. Kang continued the run of three Mids separated by two points with a 588 in air rifle and
Gabriella Mayes (Fr., Rio Rancho, N.M.) posted the last counting score for Navy at 586.
Despite having all four counting shooters over 585 to total a score of 2,353 in air rifle, the Mountaineers racked up a score of 2,374 in the event with all four scores reaching at least 590.
Zanti finished third in the field with an aggregate score of the 1,169. Ginny Thrasher and David Koenders finished with scores of 1,181 and 1,180, respectively, to lead both teams. The West Virginia pair were second in the field in smallbore with matching 584s and the duo finished with nearly perfect marks in air rifle after compiling scores of 597 and 596.
Navy hits the road one last time for the regular season next weekend as it travels to West Point, N.Y. to take on rival Army in the annual Star Match at 9 a.m.
