Lincoln, Neb. - The No. 6 Nebraska rifle team defeated No. 12 Ohio State 4,698-4,684 in its season-opening match on Saturday.
Three NU shooters finished in the top five overall. Defending smallbore NCAA Champion and senior captain Cecelia Ossi earned a first-place finish with an aggregate score of 1,182, while sophomore Tori Watts placed third with a 1,175 and sophomore Emma Rhode was fifth with a 1,173.
Ossi tied her personal-best score of 597 in the air rifle to grab first place. Her score also ties the second-highest in program history. Watts ended in third with a 594, and Rhode and freshman Charlie Mick tied for fourth place with scores of 593. Junior Mackenzie Strauch posted a 592, which ties her personal best to place sixth. Overall, the Huskers shot 2,377 as a team in the air rifle, the fourth-highest score in school history.
In the smallbore, Ossi ranked first with a score of 585, and sophomore Tori Watts finished in fifth with a score of 581. As a team, NU totaled 2,321 in the smallbore.
"It was a tough day on the range today," said Head Coach Mindy Miles. "Almost everyone struggled with some aspect of the match. Cecelia gave a great air score. Tori and Emma gave decent performances which can be built on next week. Charlie had a good start in air for her NCAA career with a 593. Kenzie almost hit her average I know she can post in air with a 592. Overall, we will be looking to add points we dropped as a team in smallbore at Air Force next weekend."
Next, the Huskers will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., to face No. 7 Air Force Falcons on Oct. 15.