Women’s Rifle Team Loses Two in Home Opener

The University of the Sciences women's rifle team kicked off their 2011-2012 campaign on Saturday with a home match against the Virginia Military Institute's men's and women's teams, falling to the Keydet men 4355-3762 and the Keydet women 4117-3762. 

The Devils also suffered two losses in Mid Atlantic Rifle Conference (MAC) competition, losing to the men 2187-1843 in smallbore and 2168-1919 in air rifle and dropping their matches against the VMI women 2092-1843 in smallbore and 2025-1919 in air rifle.  

In smallbore competition, the USciences women were led by junior Olivia Brown.  Brown shot 486 (84, 89 prone; 77, 78 stand; 80, 78 kneel).  Junior Shakira Chavis followed with a score smallbore score of 482 (94, 88 prone; 75, 69 stand; 82, 74 kneel). 

Brown and Chavis were also the Devils two high scorers in air rifle with Chavis shooting 514 (84, 85, 88, 89, 88, 80) and Brown 473 (81, 78, 84, 77, 76, 77). 

Diana Casallas and Shaina Kulp rounded out the Devils four scorers in both guns.  Casallas shot 445 (87, 77 prone; 71, 76 stand; 70, 64 kneel) in smallbore and 471 (72, 75, 80, 80, 80, 84) in air rifle while Kulp shot 430 (81, 79 prone; 66, 69 stand; 70, 65 kneel) in smallbore and 461 (76, 73, 78, 85, 77, 72) in air rifle. 

The VMI men were led by Kevin Jones and Joshua Gilliland.  Jones shot 559 in smallbore and 558 in air rifle while Gilliland shot 550 in smallbore and 552 in air rifle.  Marie Mallet and Kayla Johnson led the VMI women with Mallet shooting 549 in smallbore and 540 in air rifle and Johnson firing scores of 543 in smallbore and 529 in air rifle. 

In addition to their four scorers, two other shooters also shot for the Devils, including sophomore Ainsley Nowaczyk who made her collegiate debut.  Nowaczyk shot 353 (71, 75 prone; 53, 53 stand; 49, 52 kneel) in smallbore and 401 (62, 73, 67, 63, 66, 70) in air rifle. 

The Devils return to action on Saturday, October 8, 2011 when they travel to Annapolis, Maryland to take on Navy.