Air Force Marksmen Take Big Win at Nebraska
10/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Rifle
Oct. 25, 2010
The Air Force Academy's rifle team secured its first win of the season against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 4,626-4,565, Oct. 23, in Lincoln. The Falcons' air rifle team defeated the Huskers, 2,321-2,305, while the Falcons smallbore squad outscored Nebraska by 45 points, winning 2,305-2,260. Senior Tom Chandler (Oak Harbor, Wash.) was the Falcons' highest marksman in both air rifle (590/600) and smallbore (589/600). Chandler's aggregate score was a career high (1,179). In the smallbore, junior Kyle Phillips (Stockbridge, Ga.) was AFA's second highest marksman, scoring 581/600 points.
Chandler and Nebraska's Janine Dutton went head-to-head in the air rifle match as both scored 590 points. AFA's junior Robert Vasquez (El Paso, Texas) had the third highest rifle score with 582 points. Phillips finished with 580 points, followed by junior Pat Everson with 575 points. Sophomores Matt Kluckman (San Antonio, Texas) and Ben York (Larkspur, Colo.) finished with 574 and 569 points, respectively.
In the smallbore match, Chandler was the overall high scorer with 589 points, setting a personal and team record. Another personal record was set by Phillips who had 581 points. Junior Mike Seery (Oregon, Ohio) took fourth with 569 points. Everson and York rounded out the team's scores with 566 and 551 points, respectively.
"This was definitely a good way to start the season," said head coach Launi Meili. "With Tom and Kyle's scores, it's a great feeling to do your best in a match when it counts."
Overall, the team scores may not have been the team's best performance as some of the Air Force shooters struggled in the first match of the year, however the team is planning on only building from here.
"Air Force's next match against all the other academies, hosted at Coast Guard, will be a great place to show what we are capable of," according to Meili. "We are looking ahead to that weekend now and planning for a solid performance."
Air Force will be in New London, Conn., for the All Service Academies (President's Cup) Championships on Saturday, Nov. 6.
