Fairbanks, Alaska - The Nebraska women’s rifle team fell to Kentucky, 6,183-6,121, in Fairbanks, Alaska on Friday, Oct. 24, in the first of two competitions this weekend. The loss dropped the Huskers to 2-1 on the season.
Sophomore Misty Chanek was the top NU finisher, earning third in the smallbore competition and a tie for second in the air rifle competition, with 1,161 points and 389 points, respectively. Chanek’s aggregate score of 1,550 earned her third-place overall among 18 competitors. Kentucky’s Bradley Wheeldon won the overall individual title with an aggregate score of 1,570.
In the smallbore competition, Kentucky defeated the Huskers, 4,626-4,586. Wheeldon placed first in the competition with 1,173 points for the Wildcats, while NU was led by Chanek’s third-place finish. Freshman Kristina Fehlings placed fourth with 1,154 points, while senior Melissa Downsbrough earned a tie for fifth place with 1,153 points. Sophomore Stacy Underwood rounded out Nebraska’s team score, finishing 16th with 1,118 points.
Three Huskers also competed unattached in the event. Freshman Sarah Quinn finished 10th with 1,136 points, junior Laura Johnson finished with 1,131 points to earn 12th place and senior Karen Aspden totaled 1,124 points to finish 14th.
In the air rifle competition, Kentucky defeated NU, 1,557-1,535. Wheeldon won the competition for Kentucky, finishing with 396 points. Chanek was the top Husker shooter, finishing with 394 points, to earn second-place finish. Fehlings finished in a tie for fifth with 387 points, while Downsbrough took 11th with 381 points. Johnson rounded out the Huskers’ team score tying for 13th with 378 points.
Aspden, Quinn and Underwood competed as unattached for NU in the air rifle competition. Aspden’s total of 382 points earned her a tie for ninth. Quinn finished in a tie for 11th with 378 points, and Underwood tied for 13th place, finishing with 376 points.
Despite the loss, Head Coach Launi Meili was encouraged that the team was able to compete against such tough competition early in the season. Kentucky, which finished sixth at last year’s NCAA Championships.
"I’m glad we were able to face good competition," Meili said. "It will help us know what it takes to beat the top teams in the nation."
The Huskers will return to action on Sunday, when they face defending national champion Alaska-Fairbanks at Noon (CST).