Rifle Breaks School Smallbore Record in Air Force Match

Sunday, November 5

West Point, N.Y.

8:00 AM

Army West Point

5842

5882

Air Force

Rifle Breaks School Smallbore Record in Air Force Match

November 06, 2023 | Rifle

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point rifle team set a school smallbore record (2334) in its match against service academy rival Air Force Sunday morning at Tronsrue Marksmanship Center, but the Falcons outpointed their host in air rifle to knock the Black Knights from the unbeaten ranks.

Army (4-1) suffered a 5882-5848 loss to Air Force in the five-man service academy format, where the Black Knights were edged by a point in smallbore (2910-2909). But In the four-man NCAA format, the Black Knights outshot the Falcons by three points in smallbore, setting a school record 2334 in that discipline. Air Force went on to outpoint Army 2380-2359 in air rifle, besting the Black Knights 4711-4693 to claim the decision. Despite the loss, Army set a season high aggregate, the second time this weekend after posting a 4692 Saturday in the President's Trophy Match.

Army's Claudia Sigel took top honors in smallbore, tying her season mark of 588, and in the aggregate scoring with an 1178, nipping Air Force's Peninah D'Souza by a point for that honor. The Army senior recorded a season high 590 in air rifle, tying with four others, to include teammates Kyle Kutz and Chris Jennings, behind Anusha Pakkam's team leading 594 (tied for third).

Rounding out Army's top scorers in smallbore were Kutz, placing third (585) and Briggs Moore (584 season high) claiming the fifth spot as three Black Knights placed in the top five.

"I am so proud of this team," noted second-year head coach Leighton Dempster. "To follow yesterday's season high with another program record is excellent. Our work at practice is starting to show in matches; to have back-to-back days in the 4690's puts us in a good position heading into our final match this semester against Akron. I'm confident we will continue to improve if we keep pushing the needle in practice."

NEXT UP:
Army takes to road when it travels to Akron, Ohio, Saturday to take on conference foe Akron in a Great America Rifle match before breaking for the holidays.