Rifle: WVU Opens GARC Season, Welcomes Two
November 05, 2010 02:38 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 1-ranked West Virginia University rifle team returns to the WVU Rifle Range after a two-week break to play host to No. 16 Memphis on Nov. 6, and No. 7 Murray State on Nov. 7. Both matches will start at 8 a.m.
Saturday’s shoulder-to-shoulder match against the Tigers is the Mountaineers’ (1-1) Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) season-opener. WVU is the reigning GARC regular season and postseason champion.
“It’s nice to get back into the range for some matches,” fifth-year Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond says. “It will be a good test to have back-to-back matches. We have an opportunity this weekend to get more in-match experience under our belts and to shoot better scores.
“While we enjoyed the two weeks of practice, nothing can replace match atmosphere.”
WVU is 4-2 all-time against the Tigers. The Mountaineers clinched the conference regular-season title with their 4659-4530 victory over Memphis last year, though the two squads did not shoot against each other in a shoulder-to-shoulder match. With their Jan. 31 meeting cancelled due to inclement weather, the outcome was based on the teams’ scores in their respective NCAA qualifying match.
Memphis enters tomorrow’s match after a month-long hiatus. Prior to their break, the Tigers fell to Nebraska, 4601-4574, on Oct. 8, and to Army, 4586-4581, on Oct. 9.
The Mountaineers and the Racers meet on Sunday for the first time in seven years and for the 22nd time in a series that dates to 1967; WVU owns an 18-3 advantage.
MSU gained the last win in the series, defeating WVU 6231-6196 in 2003, the last season the NCAA implemented a 120-shot smallbore, 40-shot air rifle course.
The Racers are coming off a 4673-4668 defeat to No. 2-ranked TCU on Oct. 31. MSU’s aggregate score, as well as its smallbore (2304) and air rifle (3260) marks were all school records.
“I think Murray State is going to be a good match,” Hammond says. “They have put up a lot of high numbers already, and they will give us a good test.”
The Mountaineers also enter this weekend following a loss to the Horned Frogs, as they suffered a 4675-4663 defeat on Oct. 24 at the WVU Rifle Range. The Mountaineers split the discipline matches, winning smallbore, 2325-2315, before falling in air rifle, 2360-2338. The defeat snapped WVU’s 18-match regular season win streak.
Senior Tommy Santelli paced WVU and finished second overall with an aggregate score of 1173, while classmate Kyle Smith finished in third place with a score of 1169.
This weekend’s matches will both play into the afternoon.
Saturday’s shoulder-to-shoulder match against the Tigers is the Mountaineers’ (1-1) Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) season-opener. WVU is the reigning GARC regular season and postseason champion.
“It’s nice to get back into the range for some matches,” fifth-year Mountaineer coach Jon Hammond says. “It will be a good test to have back-to-back matches. We have an opportunity this weekend to get more in-match experience under our belts and to shoot better scores.
“While we enjoyed the two weeks of practice, nothing can replace match atmosphere.”
WVU is 4-2 all-time against the Tigers. The Mountaineers clinched the conference regular-season title with their 4659-4530 victory over Memphis last year, though the two squads did not shoot against each other in a shoulder-to-shoulder match. With their Jan. 31 meeting cancelled due to inclement weather, the outcome was based on the teams’ scores in their respective NCAA qualifying match.
Memphis enters tomorrow’s match after a month-long hiatus. Prior to their break, the Tigers fell to Nebraska, 4601-4574, on Oct. 8, and to Army, 4586-4581, on Oct. 9.
The Mountaineers and the Racers meet on Sunday for the first time in seven years and for the 22nd time in a series that dates to 1967; WVU owns an 18-3 advantage.
MSU gained the last win in the series, defeating WVU 6231-6196 in 2003, the last season the NCAA implemented a 120-shot smallbore, 40-shot air rifle course.
The Racers are coming off a 4673-4668 defeat to No. 2-ranked TCU on Oct. 31. MSU’s aggregate score, as well as its smallbore (2304) and air rifle (3260) marks were all school records.
“I think Murray State is going to be a good match,” Hammond says. “They have put up a lot of high numbers already, and they will give us a good test.”
The Mountaineers also enter this weekend following a loss to the Horned Frogs, as they suffered a 4675-4663 defeat on Oct. 24 at the WVU Rifle Range. The Mountaineers split the discipline matches, winning smallbore, 2325-2315, before falling in air rifle, 2360-2338. The defeat snapped WVU’s 18-match regular season win streak.
Senior Tommy Santelli paced WVU and finished second overall with an aggregate score of 1173, while classmate Kyle Smith finished in third place with a score of 1169.
This weekend’s matches will both play into the afternoon.
Andrew Powdrell | April 15
Thursday, April 16
Coach Pat Kirkland | April 15
Thursday, April 16
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 15
Thursday, April 16
Alumni Series | Louisa Morgan Hoogduin
Wednesday, April 15
