AKRON, Ohio – The seventh-ranked Navy rifle team (2-2, 1-1 GARC) dropped a 4,669-4,654 contest to No. 13 Akron (5-0, 1-0 GARC) on Saturday. The Midshipmen dropped their first conference match of the season in their first road match of the 2019-20 campaign.
 
Navy fired a season-low 4,654 to start its road trip in Ohio, which featured a season-low in air rifle with a 2,346. The 4,669 from the Zips was the first time they broke the 4,660 mark on the year for a new season-best.
 
To start the event, the Midshipmen posted a score of 2,308 in smallbore and found themselves 14 points behind the Zips following a 2,322 from Akron in the discipline. Torrance Kang (Jr., Columbia, Md.) guided Navy in smallbore after firing a 580 and Michael Zanti (So., Norfolk, Va.) was just behind with a 579. Kestrel Kuhne (Sr., Everett, Pa.) recorded Navy's third score of 576 and the Midshipmen's fourth score in smallbore came from Gabriella Mayes (So., Rio Rancho, N.M.) with a 573.
 
Looking to rally in air rifle for the second-straight week, the Midshipmen were unable to break the 590 mark and no shooter in the field surpassed 590 points in air rifle. Kang finished tied for the top score in the field with a 589 in air rifle as she led all competitors with an aggregate score of 1,169. Mark Amdahl (So., Albuquerque, N.M.) and Kuhne finished tied in air rifle with matching 587s as the Midshipmen also counted a 583 to their team total after Mayes and Zanti each hit that mark to finish out the day. 
 
Kera Kaufman led all shooters in smallbore with a 587 to help spark the Zips to the early lead. Akron also had three shooters with a 589 in air rifle with two counting toward the team score in the event, which thwarted Navy's come-from-behind attempt. Following Kang's top aggregate score, the Zips had the next three highest scores in the field.
 
The Midshipmen are back in action on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. against No. 10 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.