NC State Rifle Breaks Program Record in Home Match Versus No. 1 West Virginia

Match Results | Match Video

RALEIGH, N.C. – In front of a record 1,842 fans, the 13^th-ranked NC State rifle team made a #STATEment in its first home match in nearly a decade, breaking the program record in aggregate total and air rifle against the top-ranked West Virginia Saturday afternoon inside Reynolds Coliseum.

The Wolfpack (0-1) fired a team score of 4671 to best the previous program record of 4665, while in air rifle NC State charted a 2366 team total to top the prior mark of 2360. The Pack recorded a 2305 in smallbore to compile its aggregate total along with the squad's air rifle score.

No. 1 West Virginia, four-time defending National Champion, won the match with an aggregate total of 4709 thanks to a 2375 in air rifle and a 2334 clip in smallbore to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Miller's Minute
Opening statement…
"We wanted to have a fantastic match for the fans we were hoping that both teams would shoot well and we accomplished that," said head coach Keith Miller. "That was a solid score for West Virginia and a record-breaking score for us.

"We didn't know how it would go and it turned out to be a storybook finish with the two Olympians shooting against each other and it went down to the last shot with Lucas [Kozeniesky] winning it, so it was fantastic. I'm just as thrilled as I could be, great way for us to start the year."

On Lauren Phillips' performance in first action for NC State…
"I was watching everyone at the start of the match, but I was watching her closer than anyone else because it's been more than a year since she's shot as a collegiate shooter and she's been so anxious and training so hard. Her first shot was a 10 and I was so excited for her.

"She had a fantastic day with a personal record in air rifle and I couldn't be happier for her. It's a great start to her career as an NC State athlete."

Smallbore Summary
- Senior Olympian Lucas Kozeniesky led NC State in the smallbore competition with a score of 582 to claim fifth in the event.
- Lauren Phillips, making her debut in a Wolfpack suit, fired the next best tally for the Pack with a 581.
- Sophomore William Marciniak contributed a 575, while juniors Caitlyn Ford and Derya Pekari each notched a score of 567.
- Freshman Zach Eisenberg rounded out the lineup for NC State in his collegiate debut, charting a score of 561.
- For West Virginia, Elizabeth Gratz posted the top score with a 588 and Morgan Phillips was second with a 587.

Air Rifle Recap
- NC State enjoyed a record-breaking performance in air rifle, thanks to some very strong scores from each of its shooters.
- Phillips recorded a personal best in her first outing for the Wolfpack, finishing with the third-best total in air rifle at 595 after posting a perfect 100 on the first, third and sixth relays.
- Kozeniesky fired a 594 to take fourth place, while Ford was seventh with a 589.
- Pekari finished closely behind at 588 and Eisenberg tallied a score of 581. Sophomore Cullen Wargo also competed in the event, firing a 574.
- West Virginia Olympian Ginny Thrasher claimed the individual title in air rifle with a score of 596.

Air Rifle Finals
- In a poetic ending, the two Olympians (Kozeniesky and Thrasher) were pitted against each other for the individual title.
- The competition started with eight and was narrowed down every two shots based on the cumulative point values.
- Kozeniesky was the last shooter for NC State remaining, as opposed to three for West Virginia, but he rallied to eliminate all the Mountaineers to win the finals.

Top Performers
- WVU's Gratz and Thrasher turned in the top individual performances, each with an aggregate total of 1180.
- NCSU's Kozeniesky and Phillips both recorded an 1176 aggregate.

Quoting the Student-Athletes
Lauren Phillips, Graduate Student
On competing for the first time for NC State…
"It feels like I'm home for the first time. To come out and shoot a personal best in my first match representing the Wolfpack, it just feels awesome. With Lucas having such a strong performance today as well and us having the same aggregate total, it's a really good place for us to start and I think we'll build on it for the remainder of the season.

On shooting inside Reynolds Coliseum…
"With so much history here, it's really awesome to be shooting in this facility, not only because it just reopened and it's beautiful, but to carry on the traditional of everyone before us. The whole team has been really excited for the match since the grand-opening gala and it's been a big lead up to this point."

Lucas Kozeniesky, Senior
On the team's performance…
"Today was great, everyone had a very positive attitude and we went into air rifle with a really positive outlook and we competed well. We competed up to the level of West Virginia and set a school record, which gives us a good vibe heading into the rest of the season.

"For our first home match in nearly a decade, we wanted to perform and give the fans a show and we did that today."

On competing at home for the first time in his career…
"It felt great to wake up in my own bed. Usually we have a minimum of a four-hour drive or a flight, stay in a hotel, so it was nice be at home and not have to do any of that."

On winning the air rifle final…
"I was just thinking that I have to defend our house. Everything just started coming together for me and I was able to pull my way through."

Up Next
NC State returns to action next weekend when it travels to Akron, Ohio, to take the host Akron Zips and a rematch with West Virginia.

NC State Rifle Breaks Program Record in Home Match Versus No. 1 West Virginia

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Players Mentioned

Zach Eisenberg

Caitlyn Ford

Lucas Kozeniesky

Will Marciniak

Derya Pekari

Lauren Phillips

Cullen Wargo