Huskers Open 2003-04 Season At Home

Lincoln -- The Nebraska women's rifle team opens the 2003-04 season at home against Air Force this Saturday, Oct. 11, at 9 a.m. and Sunday, Oct. 12, at 9.am. at the Nebraska Rifle Range, located in the basement of the Military and Naval Sciences Building at 14th and Vine.

The 2003-04 edition of the team consists of three returning competitors and five newcomers, including the top three shooters at the 2003 Junior Olympics. Seniors Melissa Downsbrough and Karen Aspden and junior Laura Johnson return to the team. Two true freshmen and three transfers make up the incoming class. Joining NU from other schools are sophomores Misty Chanek (a transfer from Tennessee Tech), Sherri Gallagher (Texas Christian) and Stacy Underwood (Fullerton College). True freshmen Kristina Fehlings from Fairfax, Va., and Sarah Quinn from Somerset, N.J., will see their first collegiate action this weekend.

All team members will compete this weekend, but only five will contribute to Nebraska's team score. In the smallbore competition, Downsbrough, Fehlings, Chanek and Aspden will compete for Nebraska, while Johnson, Underwood and Quinn will compete unattached. The air rifle competition will see Downsbrough, Chanek, Fehlings and Quinn compete for the Huskers, while Johnson, Underwood and Aspden will compete unattached.

Last season, Nebraska faced Air Force twice, with the Huskers winning on both occasions. The previous success against the Falcons, combined with the team's impressive performances in practice, have Head Coach Launi Meili excited about this weekend.

"In our practice matches, the team has performed extremely well," Meili said. "Our scores from these matches have already exceeded the team goals we had for last season."

The Huskers will be off for two weeks before returning to action against Kentucky and Alaska-Fairbanks Oct. 24 and 26 at Noon (CST) in Fairbanks, Alaska.