ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy rifle team (5-9, 0-5 GARC) registered a one-point victory over Akron (4-9, 2-3 GARC) to highlight a three-team match on Saturday at the Bancroft Hall Rifle Range. The Midshipmen defeated the Zips, 4697-4696, while the top-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers (12-0, 6-0 GARC) finished atop the leaderboard with 4739 points.
 
"We had a good match against No. 1 West Virginia and No. 11 Akron," head coach Mike Anti said after the match. "It was great to get a victory over Akron. In the past three to four years, every time we compete against Akron it always comes down to a few points and this match was no different, getting the win by just one point. We struggled in smallbore with a team score below our average to trail Akron by 14 points. I was very happy with our air rifle performance though. It was our highest score for the season. All four scores were above a 592, anchored by an outstanding 597 by Isabella Baldwin. We were able to make up the difference plus one against Akron.
 
"Marleigh Duncan was our MVP, leading the team in smallbore with a strong 588 and also leading the team with an 1181 overall score," Anti added. "There are a few areas that we need to work on this week in preparation for Army next weekend."
 
Navy posted a team score of 2322 in smallbore, while West Virginia led after one event with 2347. Akron posted a smallbore score of 2336 to be second among the three teams heading into air rifle. In air rifle, the Mountaineers once again led the way with 2392 to give them an overall team score of 4739. The Midshipmen posted season-best team effort in air rifle with a 2375 to give the Mids 4697 points aggregate. The Zips led the Midshipmen by 14 through smallbore, but a score of 2360 in air rifle allowed Navy the opportunity to come away with the one-point victory.
 
Individually, the Mountaineers had three student-athletes – Molly McGhin (1188), Matt Sanchez (1186) and Lauri Syrja (1184) – lead the way atop the leaderboard. Akron's Rachel Engels (1182) and Gavin Perkowski (1181), along with Navy's Marleigh Duncan (1181) rounded out the top five in the scoring. The Mids' Isabella Baldwin (1178) also finished in the individual top 10, coming in eighth.
 
Duncan led all Midshipmen with an aggregate score of 1181, tying a season-high that she originally set in the season opener against TCU and VMI. For the second consecutive week, the junior posted a season-best smallbore performance, finishing the event with a score of 588. Duncan closed out her performance with a team-best tally of 593 in air rifle, coming just two points back of her top score of the season in air rifle.
 
Baldwin registered an aggregate score of 1178 to finish second among the Mids. She posted a score of 581 in smallbore, but rebounded in air rifle setting a new career-high with a 597.
 
Stephanie Milvain competed as a starter in smallbore, finishing with a score of 582. The junior tied a season-best score of 584 in air rifle to close out the day with an aggregate performance of 1166. Clarissa Layland served as a starter in air rifle, notching a score of 593. The senior shot a score of 573 in smallbore to give her a combined total of 1165.
 
Ryan Wee continued his strong freshman campaign. The rookie posted an aggregate score of 1164. He notched a score of 571 in smallbore, while registering a season-high total of 593 in air rifle. The new career best in air rifle topped his previous high score of 590 set at the President's Cup Match in November.
 
Deonte Hayes carded a final score of 1160 on the day. The senior shot a 571 in smallbore and a 589 in air rifle. His air rifle performance was two points back of his career high performance the senior set last week against Alaska Fairbanks.
 
Joshua Potts and Devin Uhrich finished with aggregate scores of 1160 and 1151, respectively. Potts posted scores of 571 in smallbore and 589 in air rifle (season best), while Uhrich notched tallies of 570 in smallbore and 581 in air rifle (season high). The trio of Delys – Catherine Dely (564-584=1148), Mark Dely (572-564=1136), and John Dely (545-575=1120) – along with Grace Shepard (553-579=1132) rounded out the Navy competitors in both smallbore and air rifle.
 
Additionally, Chelsie Glover competed solely in air rifle, posting a score of 578, just three points back of her season-best total the freshman set last weekend against Alaska Fairbanks.
 
Following the match against Akron and West Virginia, Navy will travel to West Point, N.Y. to take on rival Army (6-4, 2-3 GARC) at the Tronsrue Marksmanship Center for the annual Army-Navy Star Match.