FAIRBANKS – Alaska shot just short of toppling the No. 1 team in the nation on Saturday afternoon, as the No. 2 Nanooks fell, 4691-4688 at the E.F. Horton Rifle Range. Alaska won the smallbore portion of the match over the Mountaineers, but could not overcome West Virginia's air rifle shooting in the defeat.
In the smallbore, three Nanooks outscored the top-scoring Mountaineer, as Mats Eriksson, Tim Sherry and Ryan Anderson were the top-three shooters in that competition. Eriksson and Sherry each shot a 583 while Anderson contributed a 582.
Soren Butler and Lorelie Stanfield rounded out the winning smallbore team, shooting respective totals of 578 and 577, earning the team a total of 2326. West Virginia totaled just 2314 in smallbore Saturday.
Ziva Dvorsak and Garrett Spurgeon shot just three points below a perfect 600 in the air rifle to lead four West Virginians that exceeded 590. As a team, the Mountaineers scored 2377, besting Alaska's 2362.
Sherry and Anderson shot exceptionally well for the Nanooks, as they tallied respective totals as 596 and 594. Eriksson rounded out his impressive day with a 587 in the air rifle.
Luke Johnson and Sagen Maddalena were the final two Nanooks on the scorecard for Alaska, as they each scored 585 in the air rifle portion.
The two teams will compete again prior to the NCAA Championships, as they will square off again tomorrow morning.
