Rifle Wins Boilermaker Invitational

[Zipsrifle]

The Rifle team got it's first win of the season, defeating 8 other schools ( including several Big Ten Schools) to defend it's Boilermaker Invite title. Though the overall scores were a bit low in SB, the team depth kept the bottom from falling out. As a testiment to the depth Newt has to choose from, the Akron Blue team (2nd team) actually had a higher smallbore score than the Akron Gold Team (1st team). Also, the top 9 SB shooters on the Akron squads were separated by 10 points.

Air rifle on the other hand seems a bit more stable. The scores are inching higher for the top shooters and this is what put the Zips over the top. The Gold team won the match with air rifle.

The team seems to be inching towards the magic 2300 mark. Pretty much if you want to compete for the National Championship at the end of the year, you need to be above 2300 in both diciplines to have a shot at the end of the year. Hopefully some solid front runners will emerge in smallbore so Newt will have an easier time of picking teams. Oh, yea, I can't over-emphasize the fact that this team is EXTREMELY young. They are really doing an outstanding job and WILL continue to improve. Just need to move those comfort levels up a bit.

Good job Gals and Guys.

Zip Win Boilermaker Invitational

PRESS RELEASE

Date: October 22, 2005

Location: Purdue University

Event: The Boilermaker Invitational

Zips Sharpshooters win the Boilermaker

Last year the Akron squad brought home the Boilermaker Invitational Rifle Tournament trophy for the first time. Despite loosing four high scoring seniors to graduation, the Zips again are bringing home this prestigious award. Akron fired a 4520 out of a possible 4800 to top the list of the 13 other teams represented at the tournament.

In smallbore the Zips stumbled and nearly gave away the match. Coach Newt Engle states, “That was certainly ugly, but we are lucky to have such a deep pool of talented athletes who can help when times get tough.†And in this pool of talent sophomore Megan Reinking and freshman Michael Tokarz tied each other at 566 while both shooting personal best scores. Their efforts helped keep the Zips in contention going into the air rifle division. Worth noting was the impressive performance of up-and-coming freshman Adam Hyde who set his new personal best (554) at this tournament.

The air rifle division was all Akron. Freshman Melissa Lussier lead the way posting a 579 out of a possible 600. Giving her the support needed for the win was Megan Reinking and Michael Tokarz who tied each other again with dueling 573’s. April Engle completed the 4 person Gold team with her season high 564. “We continue to be a very impressive team with the air rifleâ€, states Coach Engle, “If we are dong this now, I am very optimistic about what we will be doing with just a little more experience.â€

The Zips will need all the experience they can muster this coming Saturday October 29th, when they square off against the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London Connecticut. This match will be the seasons first test of the Zips in the Mid Atlantic Rifle Conference by an other masters level MAC member.

Smallbore Rifle Scores: *Gold team, ** Blue team

566** Michael Tokarz

566* Megan Reinking

562** Cristina Ciarula

561** Stephanie Elmore

557* Julie DeBrita

556* Melissa Lussier

554 Adam Hyde

552* Laura Kuntz

552** April Engle

526 Ben Soehnlen

DNF Christine Fortunato

2231 Akron “Gold†Smallbore Team Total

2241 Akron “Blue†Smallbore Team Total

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Air Rifle Individual Scores: *Gold team, ** Blue team

579* Melissa Lussier

573* Michael Tokarz

573* Megan Reinking

568** Stephanie Elmore

564* April Engle

551** Cristina Ciarula

548** Laura Kuntz

546** Julie DeBrita

540 Ben Soehnlen

518 Adam Hyde

DNF Christine Fortunato

2289 Akron “Gold†Air Rifle Team Total

2213 Akron “Blue†Air Rifle Team Total