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The Murray State News

The Murray State News

The Murray State News

Rifle’s season-high score not enough to top Kentucky

Freshman+Emily+Endecott+lines+up+her+target+on+Saturday%2C+Jan.+23%2C+at+Pat+Spurgin+Rifle+Range.+%28Photo+courtesy+of+Dave+Winder%2FRacer+Athletics%29
Freshman Emily Endecott lines up her target on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Pat Spurgin Rifle Range. (Photo courtesy of Dave Winder/Racer Athletics)

Simon Elfrink

Sports Editor

[email protected]

Murray State Rifle placed second among six competitors on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Pat Spurgin Rifle Range. 

Trailing only the University of Kentucky in the end, the Racers totaled a season-high aggregate score of 4694 on a 2340 score in smallbore and a 2354 in air rifle. 

Sophomore Matias Kiuru had a career day, shooting personal best scores in all three scoring categories. Kiuru shot a 588 in smallbore and a 597 in air rifle to total 1185 in the aggregate column. Only two other shooters—both from Kentucky—shot a higher aggregate score on the day. 

Head Coach Alan Lollar was pleased with Kiuru, who has been topping the Racers’ charts since the beginning of the season. 

“He’s the go-to guy,” Lollar said. “He had a great match this weekend. He’s been working hard on some particular things, trying to make better and it’s beginning to come along really well.”

Freshman Emily Endecott posted a personal best in air rifle at 591, adding a 563 in smallbore to contribute an 1154 aggregate score. 

Junior Anna Scheer achieved a season-high aggregate score of 1172 on a personal best 584 in smallbore and 588 in air rifle. Also setting a career-high in smallbore was freshman Scott Patterson (576), who added a score of 584 in air rifle for an 1160 aggregate. Senior Dana Buesseler shot an 1164 aggregate on air rifle and smallbore scores of 582 each. 

Lollar said the abundance of personal best scores showcases the improvement his team has made since the beginning of the season. 

“They’re starting to play like they’re supposed to,” Lollar said. “We’re playing much better now than we were at the beginning of the year.” 

Lollar also said he was happy with his team’s performance and that a lot of the improvement comes in the form of younger players stepping up now that they are getting used to having their performance contribute to the team’s results. Lollar said these players are getting better every week.

The Racers hope to continue to improve as they take a week off to prepare for the OVC Rifle Championships, which are scheduled for Feb. 6-7 in Morehead, Kentucky. 

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