The UTM rifle squad faced off against defending OVC champs Murray State (MSU), who took home first place in small-bore and air rifle in the 2019 OVC championship and defeated Nebraska in the NCAA qualifier, and posted a solid aggregate score of 4,609 in a 4,609-4,646 loss.
The Skyhawks’ aggregate score against the defending champs is the second highest for UTM during the 2019-20 season, with the highest score of 4,622 coming in a loss to Morehead State Nov. 3.
Overall, the Skyhawks were beat out in both segments of the competition, being edged out in small-bore 2,282-2,292 and air rifle 2,320-2,354.
UTM had four total shooters in the overall top 10, including senior Kaitlin Korinek (1,170), junior Jennifer Plocinik (1,155), sophomore Rachel Sprague (1,155) and junior Jacob Osborne (1,128).
Korinek finished second overall, only trailing MSU’s first-place shooter Dana Buessseler by one point in aggregate score. Plocinik and Sprague, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, tied in their aggregate scores, while Osborne rounded out the top 10.
The trio of Korinek, Plocinik and Sprague all finished in the top 10 of both small-bore and air rifle. Korinek finished second in both segments, posting up 579 in small-bore and 591 in air rifle, only being edged out by four and two points, respectively.
Plocinik and Sprague, similar to their overall standings, finished right behind each other in both segments as well, with Plocinik (575 in small-bore, 580 in air rifle) finishing fourth and sixth in small-bore and air rifle, respectively.
Sprague (573 in small-bore, 582 in air rifle) finished fifth and sixth in small-bore and air rifle, respectively.
Unfortunately for UTM, the bottom 11th through 16th in small-bore and 10th through 15th in air rifle were all UTM shooters.
“The team has continued to steadily gain ground all fall with no setbacks,” head coach MJ Vowell said, according to Sports Information. “I’m looking forward to the spring season and OVC Championship in February. This team has the potential to make a very strong showing.”
With the close of the fall schedule, the Skyhawks will compete against Murray State once more Jan. 11, 2020.
Photo Credit / Sports Information
