COLUMBUS, Ohio (Jan 25, 2025) – The No. 1-ranked West Virginia University rifle team matched a program record in air rifle on its way to defeating No. 11 Ohio State and No. 17 Morehead State on Saturday morning inside Converse Hall in Columbus.
 
The Mountaineers scored a 4756 (2363 SB – 2393 AR) the Buckeyes hit a 4707 (2332 SB – 2375 AR) and the Eagles scored a 4663 (2310 SB – 2353 AR). West Virginia's mark in air rifle tied the program record which was set last season while all three marks in aggregate, smallbore and air rifle are a season high.
 
It marks the eighth-ranked opponents the Mountaineers have defeated this season. The wins extend the Mountaineers' regular season win streak to 24 straight matches. WVU notched a season-high in smallbore for the second straight weekend.
 
The Mountaineers filled the top of the leaderboard, claiming the top seven spots in a field of 25.
 
For smallbore and air rifle, seniors Gavin Barnick and Natalie Perrin, sophomores Lauri Syrja and Griffin Lake and freshman Ashlyn Blake served as counters for the match.  
 
Barnick tied a career-high mark with his aggregate score of 1193. He managed a career-high 594 in smallbore and added a season-high 599 in air rifle. The Menasha, Wisconsin native swept the podium for the second straight weekend, besting second place by three points.
 
Syrja finished in second place with an aggregate career-high mark of 1190. He added a career-high score of 592 in smallbore and a season-high mark of 598 for air rifle.
 
Lake claimed third place on the day with 1187 after marks of 589 in smallbore and 598 in air rifle. His score in air rifle was the second best in the field and matched his career high. Blake finished in fourth place with an 1185, producing a 588 in smallbore and a 597 in air rifle.
 
Freshman Camryn Camp 1185 (587 SB - 598 AR) finished in fifth place while Perrin 1184 (586 SB – 598 AR) finished just behind in sixth place. Perrin hits season-high marks in both smallbore and aggregate score.  
 
Jennifer Kocher 1180 (584 SB - 596 AR), freshman Jacob Wisman 1178 (583 SB - 595 AR) and sophomore Maximus Duncan 1169 (582 SB - 587 AR) also competed at the event.

The Mountaineers closed out the weekend road trip tomorrow against Akron with the match set to begin at 9 a.m. ET inside the Robert A. Pinn Shooting Range.    
 
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