Update after Oct 21, 2017 match. Another NCAA record in Air Rifle and the top score in the Nation this year beating Ole Miss.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 2-ranked West Virginia University rifle team shot an NCAA air rifle record for the second time this season en route to a 4739-4647 win over Ole Miss today at the WVU Rifle Range.
The Mountaineers' (4-0, 3-0 GARC) finished with a winning 2392 air rifle total, two-shots better than the NCAA record of 2390 the team tallied in a win over Ohio State on Sept. 30. WVU also shot a winning, season-high smallbore score of 2347.
"Everyone had a really good day today," Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond said. "They were focused, and it was one of those days that flowed and all went well. They all shot incredibly well in air rifle on the same day, and I think being in our range helped."
The Rebels (3-1, 3-1 GARC) finished with marks of 2364 air rifle and 2283 smallbore.
The Mountaineers' aggregate score was their highest total since shooting an NCAA-record 4740 mark in a win over Akron on Jan. 17, 2016, at the WVU Rifle Range.
"Each of the athletes was working on something different today, but they each applied the lessons they learned from last week, and I think that showed," Hammond noted.
Junior Ginny Thrasher shot season bests in both disciplines to sweep the individual titles. The Springfield, Virginia, native matched her career-high air rifle mark of 599 (100-100-100-100-100-99) and also shot 590 (193 kneeling, 200 prone, 197 standing) smallbore. Included in her smallbore showing was a WVU record 200 prone mark.
"Ginny has been working really hard this semester, and she's been in a better groove," Hammond said. "The previous matches haven't gone the way she had hoped, but today was smoother."
Senior Elizabeth Gratz and sophomore Milica Babic tied for second place in air rifle with 598 scores, a season high for both student-athletes. Redshirt-freshman David Koenders matched his career-high mark of 597 and placed fourth, while sophomore Morgan Phillips shot 596 and finished in fifth place. Freshman Sarah Osborn followed in seventh place with a career-best 593.
Sophomore Jack Anderson added a career-high mark of 588, and redshirt-freshman Noah Barker matched his career-best score of 583. Junior Will Anti finished with a 581 total.
Jessica Haig paced the Rebels in air rifle and finished sixth overall with a 592 mark.
Phillips finished behind Thrasher in smallbore with a season-best 588 score. Koenders shot 587 and placed third, and Babic finished in fourth place with a 582 mark. Osborn shot 578 and tied Gratz for fifth place.
"I was really impressed with Sarah today," Hammond added. "She had a rough start in kneeling, but the rest of the match was strong and she didn't let herself get distracted. That helped in air rifle. She's been working on the mental side, and I think that showed today. I was pleased to see that, and I think she will continue to improve."
Barker and Anti finished with scores of 569 and 568, respectively, and Anderson shot 530.
Abby Buesseler paced Ole Miss in smallbore with a 576 mark, good enough for sixth place.
Five Mountaineers counted toward the team scores today: Babic, Gratz, Koenders, Phillips and Thrasher.
With the win, WVU improves to 13-4 all-time against Ole Miss.
The Mountaineers break from action for two weeks before returning to the WVU Rifle Range for a pair of matches. WVU will shoot against No.1 TCU on Saturday, Nov. 4, and Army on Sunday, Nov. 5.
TCU will actually be #2 or lower in ratings when they face WVU. Ratings are based on each weeks winning scores. TCU had a couple points higher score than WVU last week. I think it could be the #1 and #2 facing each other Nov. 4th.
