Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
West Virginia
Rifle Falls to #3 West Virginia
November 12, 2022 | Rifle
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point rifle took on GARC opponent #3 West Virginia Saturday in closing out its fall season. The Black Knights fell to the No. 3-ranked Mountaineers, 4725-4649.
Though West Virginia dominated the meet, sweeping both disciplines, smallbore and air rifle, Army junior Anusha Pakkam was runner-up in air rifle behind a career-high 596. It is the second straight meet Pakkam set a personal record, which is now four off the school record.
AGGREGATE
Plebe Chris Jennings continues to impress setting a personal best 1171 aggregate score turning in Army's top individual mark. Senior Spencer Gillis was next behind a career high 1168.
SMALLBORE
Jennings was Army's leader in this discipline with a personal best 582, seven points off winner Akihito Shimizu of the Mountaineers. Gillis (career high) and Claudia Sigel were just two points behind their teammate in firing respective 580s.
AIR RIFLE
It is the second straight week that Pakkam finished just a point behind the individual leader in earning the runner-up spot. Her 596 was one point higher than she shot against Air Force last week and just one shy of Mountaineer Verena Zaisberger's mark of 597. West Virginia is ranked No. 2 nationally in air rifle.
Jennings and Gillis turned in Army's second highest scores behind career marks of 589 and 588, respectively.
COACH'S CORNER
"There were a number of notable performances today," noted head coach Leighton Dempster. "Chris (Jennings) is doing a great job. He is only a plebe (freshman), but has quickly become the most consistent scorer we have and is consistently pushing to be better.
"Spencer (Gillis) fired personal bests in all three – smallbore, air rifle and aggregate. I am thrilled with how well he performed today. He has been working hard in practice and it paid off. I'm excited to see how his momentum carries into the spring season.
"Reagan (Clark), also a freshman, turned in personal bests in smallbore and aggregate," added the first-year coach.
UP NEXT
Army will break from competition after concluding the fall slate (0-5 and 0-4 in the GARC conference), before returning to action January 21 hosting John Jay in a non-conference match.
