Sharpshooters Off to 2-0 Start, First Since 2011-12

Saturday, October 14

Cambridge, MA

8:00 AM

Army West Point

4656

4337

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sharpshooters Off to 2-0 Start, First Since 2011-12

October 15, 2023 | Rifle

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Army West Point undefeated rifle team rolled to a 4656-4337 victory over host MIT at the DuPont Rifle Range Saturday. It is the Black Knights' (2-0) best season start since defeating their first two opponents in 2011-12 en route to a 7-3 finish that year.

Senior Kyle Kutz earned medalist honors in smallbore, setting a season-high 581, tied with classmate Anusha Pakkam for the highest score in air rifle (581), and was the top individual in the aggregate scoring behind a season mark of 1170.

In addition to sharing medalist honors with Kutz in air rifle (589), Pakkam was runner-up in smallbore (579) and second in the combined scoring with an 1168.

Chris Jennings equaled his season mark of 588 in air rifle for third place, was fifth in smallbore (571) and third in the combined scoring with an 1159. He nipped Briggs Moore (1158) for that spot in the aggregate scoring.

Moore posted season highs in both smallbore (572) and air rifle (586), tying with Claudia Sigel for third in the former followed by fourth in the latter, respectively.

In addition to tying for third in smallbore, Sigel posted a season high 583 in air rifle to place fifth and also earned that spot in the combined scoring with an 1155.

Plebe Ashton Arlington rounded out Army's contingent, placing sixth in smallbore (566), air rifle (575) and aggregate (1141). It is the second straight week she has finished among Army's leaders en route to earning a spot on the travel squad to Massachusetts.

The Black Knights dominated throughout the match capturing the top six spots in aggregate, smallbore and air rifle. Army outpointed MIT 2304-2107 in smallbore, and 2352-2230 (season high) in air rifle for a 4656 aggregate.

HEAD COACH LEIGHTON DEMPSTER:
"This match was tough for us," stated second-year Leighton Dempster. "Smallbore was lower than we are capable of; we had some mistakes we intend to clean up before we host Norwich and Coast Guard Saturday at home. "Our practice average is higher than we've performed so far this season, so that will be the focus heading into our next match. Despite having no one score higher than a 589 in air rifle, we still beat our season opener score in the discipline. "It's exciting to see that we are increasing our depth across the team, we just need to up our standard if we are going to be nationally competitive. It was great to compete at a new range and I am looking forward to heading back to MIT again in the future," added Dempster.

NEXT UP:
Army (1-0 home, 1-0 road) returns to Tronsrue Marksmanship Center for a triangular with Coast Guard and Norwich on Saturday, Oct. 21, in an 8 a.m. start.