ANNAPOLIS, Md. – No. 15 Navy (3-10) suffered a 4,666-4,661 loss in its final head-to-head competition of the 2020-21 season against No. 12 North Carolina State (3-8) on Saturday at the Bancroft Hall Rifle Range.
 
With the NCAA Qualifier making up half of each team's score toward NCAA qualification, the Midshipmen posted a qualifying total of 9,314.7 points after coming into the weekend with a score of 4,653.7. The top eight teams qualify for the national championship and all qualifiers are set to be completed throughout the weekend. The NCAA is scheduled to announce its national championship field on Tuesday.
 
Navy got off to a strong start in the match as it posted a season-high 2,315 in smallbore. The Midshipmen surpassed their previous season-high of 2,313, which was set on Nov. 21 against Kentucky in a virtual match.
 
Michael Zanti (Jr., Norfolk, Va.) spearheaded Navy's output in smallbore after he scored 584 points in the discipline. Zanti's 584 was just one point shy of his career-high. Senior captain Torrance Kang (Columbia, Md.) bettered her season-high she set last week with a 582 and just miss her personal best by two points. Luke Knollinger (Sr., Valley Grove, W. Va.) posted a 576 and the Midshipmen's final counting score came from Clarissa Layland (Fr., Granbury, Texas) after she notched a 573.
 
In air rifle, Zanti and Kang finished in a three-way tie for the best score in the field after they both fired 591s. This marks the second-straight weekend that Kang recorded a season-high of 591 in the event. Navy finished with a total score of 2,346 in air rifle after the pair of Layland and Laurel Kuhne (Jr., Everett, Pa.) finished with matching 582s.
 
Zanti's 1,175 led all shooters in the field while Kang finished second with a total score of 1,173 points as the Navy pair were the only shooters to surpass 1,170 points on Saturday.
 
Roman Karadsheh led the Wolfpack with a total score of 1,168 points and had a 591 in air rifle. Makenzie Sheffield paced the field in smallbore with a 585.
 
Navy is slated to be back in action next weekend for the GARC Championships on Saturday and Sunday. This year's conference championships will be contested virtually with each team shooting at their own facilities.