Rifle: No. 1 WVU Downs No. 16 Memphis
November 06, 2010 06:45 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 1-ranked West Virginia University rifle team opened its Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) season with a win, defeating No. 16 Memphis, 4681-4586, this evening at the WVU Rifle Range.
The Mountaineers (2-1, 1-0 GARC), the 2010 GARC regular season and postseason champions, were solid in both disciplines, trumping the Tigers in smallbore, 2323-2277, and air rifle, 2358-2309.
“Today was a solid team performance,” says reigning GARC Coach of the Year Jon Hammond. “We are definitely moving in the right direction. I saw growth from the first two matches, but there is still room for improvement.”
After missing WVU’s last match due to the ISSF World Cup Final, senior Nicco Campriani returned to the line for the Mountaineers and paced the squad today, shooting a combined score of 1179 and finishing first overall. Classmate Tommy Santelli finished behind Campriani with an aggregate total of 1168, while junior Justin Pentz shot 1167 and finished in third place.
Linn Larsen paced the Tigers with a combined score of 1160.
Campriani swept the individual discipline competitions. The Florence, Italy, native shot 595 (99-99-99-100-100-98) air rifle and 584 (199 prone, 194 standing, 191 kneeling) smallbore.
Senior Andy Lamson and Pentz shot 589, a personal best for Pentz, and tied for second place in air rifle. A second Mountaineer pair tied and finished in fourth place, as senior Brandi Eskew and junior Michael Kulbacki each shot 586.
Santelli shot 583 smallbore and finished in second place. He was followed by classmate Kyle Smith and Memphis’ Dan Hermsmeier, as each shot 581 and tied for third place. Smith’s mark was aided by a school-record 200 prone score, the second time the DuBois, Pa., native has shot the record this season.
Also of note, senior Andraz Poje shot a personal-best 573 smallbore score and finished in eighth place.
Today’s victory pushes the Mountaineers’ series advantage over the Tigers to 5-2.
WVU returns to the Range tomorrow and plays host to No. 7 Murray State at 8 a.m.
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