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Columbus, Ohio - Even Old Man Winter couldn't stop the Nebraska rifle team from firing its best air rifle score in school history. With a berth to the NCAA Championships on the line, Nebraska had three shooters fire 390 or better, en route to a school-record score of 1,560 at an NCAA qualifying match hosted by Ohio State on Sunday. The Huskers were scheduled to shoot their qualifying match on Saturday in Cincinnati, but a snow storm that hit Lincoln Thursday evening caused flight cancellations, and the team was unable to depart Friday as scheduled.
Nebraska is all but ensured a place at the national championships, as their air rifle score ties Alaska-Fairbanks for the nation's lead. The Huskers weren't as fortunate in smallbore however, as Nebraska fired a 4,595, the eighth best score fired at a qualifying match this weekend. Only the top seven or eight team scores in each rifle will qualify for the NCAA Championships March 8-10, in Columbus.
In the air rifle competition, sophomore Amanda Trujillo fired a personal-best score of 394 to lead all shooters, while sophomore Nicole Allaire fired a season-high 393. Junior Terim Richards, who has increased her air rifle average nearly four points from a year ago, fired a 390, while freshman Melissa Downsbrough shot a solid 383.
Downsbrough led Nebraska in the smallbore competition with a 1,163, while Allaire chipped in with a 1,160. Trujillo fired a 1,145 and freshman Heather Pissos rounded out the scoring with a 1,127.
Ohio State will host the 2001 NCAA Rifle Championships, a situation that bodes well for the Huskers. Nebraska's air rifle record marked the second time in as many years that the Huskers established a school record at the Lt. Hugh W. Wylie Range. Last season, in its final regular season match, Nebraska set school records in both the air and smallbore rifles at the facility.
With one week of qualifying remaining, Coach Karen Anthony and the team will not learn their fate until Feb. 20, when all scores must be reported.