ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Junior
Michael Zanti (Norfolk, Va.) notched career-highs in smallbore (584), air rifle (596) and aggregate scoring (1,180) as he helped Navy (1-0) upend VMI (0-1), 4,658-4,493, to start the 2020-21 season on Saturday at the
Bancroft Hall Rifle Range.
Zanti's 596 in air rifle is now tied for second in school history and he just missed the program record by a point. The junior also came up shy of entering the top-five in the program's record book in aggregate scoring as his total of 1,180 points was a point short of moving into a three-way tie for fifth.
"We had a solid result for our first competition of the season," head coach
Mike Anti said. "With limited training during the first three weeks of the season, I was very pleased with our team's performance. Our upperclassmen showed their experience and talent leading the team to a win and taking the top three spots individually in the match. We have a few things to work on this week to get ready for North Carolina State next weekend."
The trio of Zanti,
Mark Amdahl (Jr., Albuquerque, N.M.) and
Gabriella Mayes (Jr., Rio Rancho, N.M.) finished as the top-three scorers in each of the scoring categories en route to Midshipmen's victory.
In smallbore, Zanti led the field with a 584 and Amdahl was just behind with a 578 followed by Mayes' 574. Making her collegiate debut,
Clarissa Layland (Fr., Granbury, Texas) notched the final counting score for Navy after firing a 569 to round out the Midshipmen's 2,305 in smallbore.
Shifting into air rifle, Navy's junior trio of Zanti, Amdahl and Mayes each scored at least 590 points in the discipline. Zanti finished with a 596 and Amdahl concluded his day with a 593 to finish the afternoon with an aggregate score of 1,171 points. Mayes – who led Navy in air rifle a year ago – started her season with a 590 in the event to finish at 1,164 overall in the season opener.
Brianna Feerick (Jr., Pembroke, Mass.) capped off the Midshipmen's 2,353 in air rifle with a 574.
Simon Krauthamer led VMI in both events and finished fourth in the field in all three scoring categories. He notched a 572 in smallbore and then fired a 577 in air rifle to finish the day with an aggregate mark of 1,149 points.
Navy continues its homestand next Saturday as it opens GARC competition against North Carolina State.
