FAIRBANKS, AK — The Alaska Nanooks rifle team turned the tables on Kentucky in more than one way on Friday at the Patty Center.
The Nanooks not only reversed the result from a year ago, when Kentucky pulled off an upset, but they used the same formula that the Wildcats did by handily winning the smallbore portion of the meet to offset coming up uncharacteristically short in air gun.
“It’s kind of surprising, to be known as an air rifle team and come out big with smallbore,” sophomore Cody Rutter said.
The top-ranked Nanooks beat the No. 3 Wildcats 4,651-4,635 in the E.F. Horton Rifle Range, as they overcame a 13-point loss in air gun by winning smallbore by 29 points.
Last year, the Nanooks shot the exact total score as on Friday, but Kentucky — using a 23-point smallbore advantage that day — handed Alaska a rare dual meet defeat.
“They were pretty lucky today ... that Kentucky struggled and didn’t shoot quite as good a score as they could have,” Alaska coach Dan Jordan said.
The Nanooks struggled in air rifle as well, with Jordan calling the performance “pretty weak.” Patrik Sartz led the way with 590 (of 600), but Ida Petersen of Fairbanks (583), Rutter (582) and Taylor Beard (577) all shot below average.
Ashley Jackson of Kentucky posted 592 for the day’s top score.
Rutter, who has been challenged this season by equipment problems, called losing the air rifle competition an “eye-opener” but nothing to panic about.
“Our air rifle will come. It’s just a work in progress,” Rutter said.
Jordan attributed the low air gun score to nerves and the Nanooks “probably not working out as hard as they could be.”
Smallbore, however, was another story. Sartz again led the way with 582, followed closely by Layne Lewis of Fairbanks (580), Billy Galligan (580) and Rutter (577).
That paved the way for the 16-point win and redemption from the loss in 2007.
“All week we really concentrated on (Kentucky), getting back at what we lost last year,” said Rutter, who did not make that road trip to Lincoln, Neb.
Jackson said nothing came easily for the Wildcats on Friday.
“We had our struggles and we worked really hard to fight through everything,” Jackson said. “I think we came out expecting a little higher scores than we saw today.”
Jackson said last year’s match was not on her mind.
“I try not to think about those sorts of things,” she said. “I just take every shot one at a time and just kind of focus on what I’m doing.”
The Nanooks will focus on No. 5 Nebraska on Sunday. Smallbore will be in the basement rifle range from 8 a.m.-12:45 p.m., while air gun will take place in the gymnasium from 1:45-5:45 p.m. A spectator-friendly 10-shot air rifle final will conclude the weekend’s shooting at 6:15 p.m.
