[Complete Match Results]
MORGANTOWN, WV - For the first time since the 2009 NCAA Men's and Women's Rifle Championships the No.1 Alaska Nanoks tasted defeat, falling at the hands of the No. 2 ranked and defending national champion West Virginia Mountaineers Thursday afternoon 4697-4670 at the WVU Rifle Range.
Alaska moves to 8-1 on the season and despite the loss hold a 6-4 edge in the all-time series between the teams, who have a combined 24 NCAA rifle titles since 1983(Alaska 10, WVU 14). For the Blue and Gold it was their second consecutive loss against WVU (not incuding NCAAs) after the Mountaineers snapped Alaska's six-match winning streak last season with a 4653-4634 victory.
The Mountaineer's Italian import, junior transfer Nicco Campriani, ruled the day with match-high scores in both the air rifle (596) and smallbore (589). Alaska freshman Dustin Chesebro took second in air gun with a 594, while junior Cody Rutter and senior Jace Bures were second and (tied for) third in smallbore with a 587 and 586, respectively.
Rounding out the Nanooks scoring team in smallbore were Billy Galligan (579), Patrik Sartz and rookie Aaron Holsopple with 576 apiece. In air rifle, Sartz placed second for Alaska and fifth overall with a 591, followed by Rutter (590).
The Blue and Gold return to Fairbanks to train for the next three weeks at their home range, where they will host an NCAA qualifying match on Feb. 13-14.