Rifle Team 2011-2012

[Zipsrifle]

Well, I know I am way behind with my Rifle updates again as work has kept me from the Nation for some time. The team started the year off great with a win in their 2nd match at Navy, but then have had mediocre results the rest of the season, losing to Ohio State and Tying Morehead State. I have a special hatred for Morehead as their shooters, despite losing to us on multiple occasions, made no bones that they felt the were far superior to us. Anyway, this past match the Zips tied Morehead, which is unheard of! Hopefully the team can regain the hope from the first Navy match and get to the National Championship match at the end of the season. See the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE

Date: November 20, 2011

Event: Akron -vs- Morehead State University in Kentucky

Location: Morehead State University in Kentucky

Akron Rifle and Morehead in rare tie

The two schools started the day with each hoping to walk away with a win to carry them through the holiday season. But when the noise was over the very rare situation of a tie game was evident. How rare? Each team can earn up to 4,800 points with each pull of the trigger being worth up to 10 points. Thus the odds of a tie are hard to figure. So each team concluded the match with like 4555’s wrapping up the first half of the rifle season.

Smallbore rifle was all Morehead as the top three slots belonged to members of the Eagles. Sophomore Victoria Brown continued to lead the zips with her 569 in 4th place followed by Freshman John Hupp (564) and Senior Ryan Stein (563). “Definitely not our day for smallbore,” states Akron Coach Newt Engle, “This team is way better than that and now we need to figure out what happened and get back on track.” In smallbore the Zips finished behind Morehead, 2254 to 2272.

Even though the total Akron score in air rifle was a little low, (2301), the zips did manage to outpace the Eagles who fired a 2283. Senior Zac Szabo lead the charge by setting a new personal best score of 581, also earning him the top gun honors. Finishing in second and third, teammates senior Ryan Stein (579) and junior Nicole Dietrich (577) rounded out the top three slots at the match.

This match wraps up the first half of the season for the Zips who will return to action on January 14, 2012 in Morgantown West Virginia against the very powerful WVU Mountaineers.