Results

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The No. 5 ranked Alaska Nanooks coed rifle team dropped their first match of the 2017-18 season on Sunday, falling 4719-4704 to the No. 1 West Virginia Mountaineers at the E.F. Horton Rifle range. The defending National Champions edge the Nanooks in smallbore 2333-2332, but pulled away from Alaska with an air rifle score of 2386 to Alaska's 2372.

"We shot very well again today. It was a close match with only one point separating us in smallbore with West Virginia," head coach Layne Lewis said on Sunday. "It felt good to have two back-to-back strong performances and to keep the No. 1 in the nation on their heels. I really hope to continue this momentum as we work toward the NCAA Championships."

West Virginia's Ginny Thrasher was the highest individual shooter on Sunday, collecting a smallbore score of 591 and an air rifle score of 596 to tally an aggregate score of 1187.

Redshirt-senior Sagen Maddalena placed second overall individually with an aggregate total of 1184. Maddalena placed third in the individually smallbore standings with a 586 and first individually in air rifle with a 598.

Junior JT Schnering ranked fourth individually, totaling a 586 in smallbore and a 594 in air rifle to tally an aggregate score of 1180. Schnering tied his personal-best in smallbore and set career-highs in air rifle and aggregate.

Senior Luke Johnson placed sixth overall with an aggregate total of 1175, placing fifth in smallbore (583) and seventh in air rifle (592). Redshirt-junior Robert Scott was the only other Alaska shooter to place within the top-10 individually, combining for an aggregate score of 1168.

West Virginia's Morgan Philips (1183), Milicia Babic (1177), Elizabeth Gratz (1171), Noah Barker (1168) and Will Anti (1163) all placed within the top-10 individually on Sunday.

The Alaska Nanooks coed rifle team will be back in action at the E.F. Horton Rifle Range next Saturday, Feb. 27, as they host Patriot Rifle Conference foe Nevada starting at 8:30am AKST.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks rifle team, follow @NanooksRifle on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Rifle team page on Facebook.