No. 9 NC State Rifle Takes Down Nighthawks

RALEIGH, N.C. – The ninth-ranked NC State rifle team cruised past No. 20 North Georgia Sunday afternoon inside Reynolds Coliseum, 4657-4547, to pick up its 10^th win to improve to 10-5 overall.

The Wolfpack compiled a team score of 2299 in smallbore and 2358 in the air rifle event to tally its aggregate (4657), while the Nighthawks registered a 2260 in the smallbore discipline and a 2287 in air rifle for a 4547 aggregate total.

Smallbore Notes
- NC State's Caitlyn Ford and Lauren Phillips tied for the top individual score in the smallbore competition with a 578 clip. Ford tallied 98s on her second series in kneeling, prone and standing.
- Phillips turned in two stellar series in prone with a 98 on both and also achieved the mark on her first series standing.
- Wolfpack senior Lucas Kozeniesky earned a 577 in smallbore, headlined by perfect 100s on both series in the prone position.
- William Marciniak and Derya Pekari rounded out the lineup for the Pack with score of 566 and 553, respectively.
- Freshman Claire Zanti competed in the event as exhibition and scored a 571.
- NC State compiled a team score of 2299 in the event.

Air Rifle Notes
- Phillips headlined a strong air rifle performance for NC State with a career-best score of 596. She tallied perfect scores on her first, second, third and final series.
- Ford logged the next-highest mark in the discipline with a 591, highlighted by a perfect 100 on her fifth series.
- Kozeniesky claimed third place in air rifle with a 590, including a perfect score on her second series.
- Pekari fired a 581 and Zanti charted a 580 as the final members of the Wolfpack lineup.
- Marciniak also took part in air rifle, logging a score of 572.
- Wolfpack shooters combined to register a team score of 2358 in air rifle.

- Phillips, Ford, Kozeniesky and Pekari advanced to the air rifle finals along with North Georgia's Andrew Abernathy, Ruthanne Conner, Lucas Gilliland and Tobin Sanctuary.
- NC State shooters made it to the final four, as Ford claimed fourth and Pekari took second.
- The individual title came down to Kozeniesky and Phillips with Kozeniesky edging out Phillips down the stretch.

Aggregate Notes
- Phillips had the top individual aggregate score with an 1174 clips, while Ford finished second with an 1169.

Up Next
NC State returns to action Saturday, Feb. 4, when the Wolfpack participates in the National Rifle Association (NRA) Sectional hosted by The Citadel.

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Players Mentioned

Caitlyn Ford

Lucas Kozeniesky

Will Marciniak

Derya Pekari

Lauren Phillips

Claire Zanti