Huskers Travel to Alaska for Two Matches

Lincoln -- The Nebraska women's rifle team heads north to Fairbanks, Alaska, for a pair of matches against Kentucky on Friday, Oct. 24 at Noon (CST) and defending national champion Alaska-Fairbanks, Sunday, Oct. 26 at Noon.

The Huskers, 2-0 on the season, will face a tough test in Alaska. Besides the Nanooks of Alaska-Fairbanks, NU will face a Kentucky team which placed sixth at last year's NCAA Championships.

Head Coach Launi Meili says an early season match against top-notch competition is just what the team needs.

"I'm really excited because good, tough competition early in the season will prepare us for tough matches later in the season," Meili said. "This match will help us be better prepared to face the top competition we'll see at NCAA time."

Nebraska heads into this weekend coming off of two impressive performances over an Air Force squad that finished the 2002-03 season 13th nationally, one spot ahead of the Huskers. Meili hopes NU can continue to have a strong start to the season.

"If we maintain our current progress, we will be very competitive," Meili said. "If we shoot well, we have a good chance to beat Kentucky."

Huskers that will compete in Alaska will be determined by a practice match held this week. The top shooters in the match will make up NU's travel roster for this weekend.

Huskers Open 2003-04 Season With Two Victories
The Nebraska women’s rifle team opened the 2003-04 season with a pair of wins over Air Force at the NU Rifle Range two weeks ago. The Huskers posted a 6,169-6,044 victory on Friday, Oct. 10, before completing the weekend with a 6,184-6,052 win over the Falcons on Oct. 11.

NU freshman Kristina Fehlings placed first overall among 14 competitors, scoring 1,560 points on Saturday and 1,563 on Sunday to take first in both matches.

On Saturday, the Huskers earned the top three places in the smallbore event, led by Fehlings’ total of 1,166 points. Sophomore Misty Chanek placed second with 1,162 points while senior captain Melissa Downsbrough took third with 1,156 points. Senior Karen Aspden rounded out Nebraska’s team score, finishing sixth with 1,134 points, as NU defeated the Falcons, 4,618-4,535. Chris Hill was the top finisher for Air Force, placing fourth with 1,143 points.

In the air rifle portion of the meet, Nebraska swept the top four spots to defeat Air Force, 1,551-1,509, as Fehling led the way with 394 points. Downsbrough placed second with 390 points, Chanek earned third-place with 386 points and Quinn rounded out NU’s team score by placing fourth with 381 points. Edward Gallagher was the top finisher for Air Force, earning fifth with 380 points.

On Sunday, NU improved upon its aggregate score by 15 points, while Air Force improved upon its score by eight points, but it was not enough to beat the Huskers. In the smallbore competition, NU earned the top two spots, as Fehling finished first with a personal-best 1,171 points and Downsbrough placed second with 1,161 points. The Falcons’ Chris Hill finished third with 1,160 points, while Chanek and Aspden rounded out Nebraska’s team scoring by placing fourth and fifth, respectively with 1,156 and 1,145 points to help NU to the 4,633-4,532 win.

In the air rifle competition, Downsbrough earned top individual honors, edging Fehlings in a tie breaker, as both shooters finished with 392 points. Chanked finished third with 390 points, helping the Huskers sweep the top three spots, while Quinn’s eighth-place finish helped NU edge the Falcons, 1,551-1,520. Gallagher led Air Force with a fourth-pplace showing with a score of 382.

Looking Ahead
Following this weekend's meet, the Huskers will be off for nearly a month before returning to competition on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Wash Inivtational in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 8 a.m. (CST). On Sunday, Nov. 23, NU will compete against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, at 8 a.m. (CST).