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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Xavier & Memphis
Rifle Team Kicks Off GARC Slate With Second-Place Finish
10/9/2004 | Rifle
Oct. 9, 2004
Final Results from OLE MISS vs. XAVIER & MEMPHIS (in PDF Format)
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss rifle team opened the Great America Rifle Conference portion of its 2004-05 schedule with a second-place finish at the Patricia C. Lamar National Guard Readiness Center Saturday afternoon. The Rebels collected an aggregate score of 4586 (2301 in air rifle and 2285 in smallbore). Xavier won the competition with a combined score of 4607, while Memphis placed third with a 4545.
"We ran into two really good teams today, but I was still happy with our effort," Ole Miss head coach Valerie Boothe said. "Xavier and Memphis are both excellent teams, who have recently sent individuals to the NCAA Championships. Xavier also qualified as a team last year. Competing against these types of teams will make us a stronger program."
Freshman Shannon Wilson led Ole Miss with a pair of top-five finishes. She recorded a 581 in air rifle to place third and a 580 in smallbore to finish fifth. Sophomore Mara Polonsky added a fourth-place effort in smallbore with a 580.
"Shannon has a lot of potential and she showed that today," Boothe added. "I think everything finally came together for her. She was really nervous in the first two competitions, but, today, she relaxed and just focused on what she had to do.
"Mara had a fantastic effort in smallbore. She has continued to improve each time out. We had a lot of young women step up and that's very encouraging. That well-rounded effort is what we need on a consistent basis. It's going to take all nine individuals on this roster to achieve everything we want to this year."
Ole Miss took six of the Top 10 spots in air rifle. Junior Megan Sandage placed fifth (579), while sophomore Jennifer Lorenzen finished seventh (577), junior Laura Gavin eighth (576), Polonsky ninth (575) and junior Samantha Leach 10th (574).
The Rebels also had four Top-10 finishers in smallbore. Leach finished seventh (575), while Lorenzen took 10th (571).
Ole Miss is idle until Oct. 23, when it entertains GARC rival Kentucky in Oxford.
