ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy rifle team (3-4, 1-3 GARC) scored 4,686 points, its second-highest point total of the season, along with senior Mark Amdahl (Albuquerque, N.M.) tying the program's air rifle record at 599 points. However, the Mids fell to the defending national champions, tenth-ranked Kentucky (1-1, 1-0 GARC) in a GARC match, 4,736-4,686, Saturday at the Bancroft Hall Rifle Range.

In addition to tying the program-best score in air rifle, Amdahl took down the current air rifle Olympic Gold Medalist, Kentucky's Will Shaner, in Saturday's match.

The Midshipmen totaled 2,306 points in smallbore along with totaling a 2,380-point score in air rifle, marking the seventh-straight match they have totaled at least 2,300 points in each of the disciplines. Additionally, the 2,380 points in air rifle was the highest such total by Navy through seven matches this season and surpassed the previous program-best mark in the discipline of 2,377 points. 

"We had another very solid performance overall today," said head coach Mike Anti. "We still need some work in the smallbore event, that is the area that needs the most improvement. I have confidence that with our skill we can shoot at least 20 points higher in smallbore. Air rifle on the other hand was awesome, we shot three points higher than our all-time best score with a number of amazing individual performances. I am very happy for Mark Amdahl with his 599 performance in the air rifle event. He has put in the work and it paid off today. Michael Zanti and McKenzie Shedd also shot amazing scores, both with a 596. The entire team has shown significant improvement in practice this past couple of weeks, it is just a matter of time until they prove their skill in competition." 

Michael Zanti (Sr., Norfolk, Va.) was once again the top-individual performer for the Midshipmen, totaling an aggregate score of 1,176 points on a score of 580 in smallbore and 596 in air rifle. Zanti's 596-point score in air rifle was his second-best score in the discipline this season, while his 1,176 points tied his third-best overall mark of the year.

The senior team captain has now totaled at least 1,176 points in each of his seven matches this season, while also finishing with a score no lower than 591 points in air rifle this fall.

Finishing just behind Zanti with an overall mark of 1,172 points was Amdahl who placed a world-class score of 599 points in air rifle along with recording 573 points in smallbore. The senior's mark in air rifle tied a program record set by Zanti earlier this season. The air-rifle mark also bested Amdahl's previous-high score in the discipline by nine points.

Rounding out Navy's participants in the top-10 performers of the competition was newcomer McKenzie Shedd (Fr., Burke, Va.) who has proven to be a sensation for the Midshipmen this season. The freshman tied Ahmdal in aggregate score with 1,172 points in addition to scoring 576 points in smallbore and 596 points in air rifle.

The 596-point air rifle score set a new career-high in the discipline for the newcomer while falling just four points shy of tying a career-best mark in smallbore.

Marleigh Duncan (Fr., Wake Forest, N.C.) posted an overall score of 1,159 points on a score of 577 in smallbore in addition to scoring 582 points in air rifle. The 1,159 points best her season-average overall score by two points (1,157.8) while also tying a career-best mark in smallbore.

Rounding out the starting lineup for the Mids against the Wildcats was Clarissa Layland (So., Granbury, Texas) who also finished with 1,159 points on a 570-point mark in smallbore and 589 points in air rifle. The sophomore's score in air rifle finished just three-points shy of tying her current career-high mark while also tying her second-highest overall score of the season.

Highlighting Navy's participants outside of its starting lineup was the trio of Brianna Feerick (Sr., Pembroke, Mass.), Stephanie Milvain (Fr., Matthews, N.C.) and Joshua Potts (Fr., Ephrata, Pa.). Feerick posted 1,154 points on 577 points in smallbore and air rifle, respectively.

Milvain recorded a 1,148-point score, her best-aggregate score of the season, along with setting career-best marks in smallbore (566) and air rifle (582). Potts tallied 1,146 points in aggregate scoring, tying his career-best mark in smallbore (572) and falling just six points short of tying his career-high score in air rifle.

Deonte Hayes (So., Fort Mill, S.C.) returned to action for the third time this season, posting his highest-overall score of the season at 1,139 points. Mark Dely (So., Fort Wayne, Ind.) scored 1,123 points in his first appearance of the year, just four points off his career-high overall total.

Mason MacKenzie (Jr., Henderson, Md.) shot a 1,128-point overall mark on 568 points in smallbore and a score of 560 in air rifle, the 568-point mark in smallbore best his previous-high score by four points.

Laurel Kuhne (Sr., Everett, Pa.), participating in only air rifle, scored 583 points in the discipline which was four points above her season average and her second-best mark of the season in the event.

Kentucky finished with each of the top-five competitors in the competition en route to posting a stellar 4,736-point team score. The Wildcats were led by Mary Tucker who tallied a near-perfect mark in air rifle at 599 points along with totaling a score of 592 in smallbore.

UP NEXT
Next up for the Midshipmen will be a trip to Colorado Springs as they take part in the annual President's Trophy Match November 6. The match features the four service academies of Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and Navy and is scored uniquely as compared to other NCAA Rifle contests.

Scoring for the overall President's Trophy Match features eight starters for each team in smallbore and air rifle with the top-five scores counting toward each team's final score. The NCAA scoring of starting five shooters in each event with the top-four scores counting will still be used for NCAA qualification purposes.