Air Force Academy
Nebraska
Rifle Falls To Nebraska In Season Opener
10/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Rifle
Oct. 14, 2003
The Air Force rifle team opened the 2003-04 season with a pair of losses on the road to the University of Nebraska, Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday the Huskers defeated the Falcons 6169-6044. On Sunday the margin was 6184-6052.
"Nerves played a huge role in the results this weekend," said head coach Capt. Justin Broughton. "Both the air rifle and smallbore teams were well off their normal and expected performance levels."
Sophomore Chris Hill fired the team high in smallbore on Saturday with 1143 out of 1200. The team high in air rifle was shot by sophomore Edward Gallagher with 380 out of 400. "All members of the team showed small periods of excellence interspersed with little mistakes or lapses in focus," said Broughton. "As a result, the self-generated pressure to rebound and perform at the highest levels caused the team members to falter more and have lower than normal scores."
The team smallbore score on Sunday was about the same and the air rifle team score was a little higher. Once again, Hill was the highest Falcon in smallbore with a personal best 1160 out of 1200. On the way to the 1160, Hill shot a perfect 400 out of 400 in the prone position. The 400 ties the USAFA school record and set the Nebraska range record. Air rifle was a little more consistent and Gallagher once again was the highest with a 382 out of 400.
Other notables from the weekend: sophomore Tim Siemer shot his first perfect target in air rifle with a 100 out of 100. Newcomers Andrew Simpson, Trevor Millette and Michelle Bonneau all shot their first NCAA Division I match.
The next contest for the Falcons is Oct. 25 against Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, TX.
"Between now and then the team has a lot details to work on to rebound with a win to go 2-1 for the season," said Broughton. "Team captain Jason Waldow, fellow senior Matt Miller and Junior Matt Colvin did not like losing the season openers so bad and having lower scores than the underclassmen on the team." Broughton added, "The team had a long bus ride back from Nebraska to focus on their plans for the next two weeks to get ready for the next match."
