FAIRBANKS – The Alaska Nanooks rifle team defeated the Air Force Academy 4749-4714 to move to 10-0, 3-0 PRC on the season.
 
"Today was a brilliant match." Said head coach Will Anti, "Beginning to end the team really performed well. They took what they learned from last weekend's match, made the necessary adjustments in training and came into today well prepared and disciplined. It was great to see the professionalism from the whole group during the match. Today was a program record in air rifle and a tied program record for total score. We haven't been stellar in air the season but the team has been working hard to rectify that and I think they are seeing those results now. I think in air the payoff isn't always so immediate; the team has been patient and determined in improving air."
 
It was another historical match for the Alaska Nanooks as it featured the 15^th 600 in NCAA air rifle history and the second in Alaska Nanooks rifle history. Rylan Kissell led the way in the aggregate scoring, posting his 600 in air and adding a 594 in smallbore for an aggregate of 1194. This tied his season and career-high. In second-place was Gavin Barnick. Barnick posted an 1186, beating Sara Karasova by one. Karasova shot an 1185 and Kellen McAferty rounded out the top-four for the Nanooks with an aggregate score of 1184. 
 
In smallbore, Kissell took the crown, posting a 594. Following him with a 591 was Barnick. Karasova and McAferty, again, rounded out the top four for the Nanooks as they both posted a pair of 589's. 
 
Anti added this about the team's performance in smallbore, "Gavin shot another great smallbore match, it's becoming very automatic for him. His standing was once again the highpoint of his match. I think every match he's learning how to get more out of his performance - it shows a lot of maturity. Sara and Kellen both turned in strong performances in both Smallbore and Air. Across the board though there are points to be gained in every position. We are satisfied with the progress and to duplicate the record setting performance we had in November, but we know there's more in the tank. And we know that given how the other teams at the top of the ranks are shooting we need to keep searching for those points."
 
Once again, it was Kissell. This time posting a perfect score for the first Alaska Nanooks 600 since Matt Rawlings posted the first on Dec. 2, 2005 against UTEP. This 600 featured 57x and comes a week after the NCAA's last on Jan. 16, 2022. 
 
In third-place, Karasova followed, shooting a 596. Gavin Barnick and Kellen McAferty followed with a pair of 595's giving the Nanooks an aggregate-score of 2386 in air gun, a new team-record. "Rylan certainly was the individual highlight of the day firing a perfect 600 with 57 X's. That's just sensational shooting. He's come very close many times but to close the deal in a match says alot about his grit and perseverance. Kissell also turned in the highest smallbore score of the day. On a more personal note, his family was in Fairbanks with him this weekend so we are thrilled they got to celebrate that moment with him. A huge thank you to our Assistant Coach Randi Loudin during this match who provided steady guidance to the team members and really allowed them to excel in a weekend that had some challenges." Added Anti to end the day.
 
The Nanooks and Air Force Academy are back in action in the E.F. Horton Rifle Range in the Patty Center on Sunday, Jan. 23 at 8:00 a.m. AKT. 
 
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks rifle team, follow @NanooksRifle on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Rifle team page on Facebook.