By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Freshman Joey Kovach paced the University of Tennessee at Martin rifle squad in aggregate and smallbore scoring as the Skyhawks took part in the first of two weekend matches at Morehead State.
A Bedford, Pa. native, Kovach secured 1,158 cumulative points following a career-best 577 effort in smallbore and 581 points in air rifle. He became the third different Skyhawk to lead the team in aggregate scoring through four matches in 2022-23.
UT Martin compiled 4,603 aggregate points, posting 2,324 points in air rifle and 2,279 points in smallbore. Morehead State was able to claim the win after tallying 4,666 total points (2,363 air rifle, 2,303 smallbore).
Nick Fares was next in line for the Skyhawks in aggregate scoring with 1,153 points. Rachel Sprague collected 1,147 points while Alayna Walther wasn’t too far behind with 1,145 points. Victoria Petersen (1,138 points), Jesse Chamberlain (1,130) and Jeffrey Bourassa (1,116) also represented UT Martin today.
Following Kovach in the team tally for smallbore was Sprague (season-high 570), Walther (567), Fares (565) and Chamberlain (556). Competing as individuals, Petersen notched a career-best 560 while Bourassa accounted for 542 points.
In air rifle, Fares notched a team-best 588 points to pace the squad for the third time this season. Walther chalked up a 578 while Sprague (577) and Chamberlain (574) completed the team scoring. Both Skyhawk individuals established career-highs as Petersen fired a 578 and Bourassa collected 574 points.
Four more individual career-highs were set today as the University of Tennessee at Martin rifle team wrapped up its weekend series at Morehead State.
In addition to their individual accomplishments, the Skyhawks also reached team success as today’s 2,305 smallbore points are a new season-high score. That number is 16 points higher than the previous season-high tally of 2,289 set against Ole Miss on Oct. 16.
Overall, UT Martin posted 2,318 air rifle points for a cumulative score of 4,623 – a 20-point improvement from the previous day’s action and only one point shy of its best aggregate score of the season (4,624 in the aforementioned Oct. 16 match against Ole Miss). Morehead State managed an aggregate score of 4,671 (2,309 smallbore, 2,362 air rifle) on its way to the win.
Nick Fares guided the Skyhawks in aggregate scoring for the second time this season, firing a 1,165. Joey Kovach was close behind with 1,163 points and was followed by Alayna Walther (1,156), Rachel Sprague (1,137), Jeffrey Bourassa (1,130), Victoria Petersen (1,126) and Jesse Chamberlain (1,114).
In smallbore, Kovach topped the team in scoring for the second consecutive day as the freshman out of Bedford, Pa. accumulated a career-best 580 points. Fares also established a career-high with his 579-point performance and was followed in the scoring lineup by Walther (576), Sprague (season-high tying score of 570) and Chamberlain (545).
UT Martin’s air rifle lineup consisted of Fares (586), Kovach (583), Walther (580), Chamberlain (569) and Sprague (567). It marked the fourth time in five matches this season that Fares ranked atop the team standings in air rifle.
Competing on an individual basis, the Skyhawk duo of Victoria Petersen and Jeffrey Bourassa also chalked up good scores. Petersen earned a career-high with 568 points in smallbore before posting a 558 in air rifle. Bourassa came away with 551 points in smallbore and a career-best 579 points in air rifle.
UT Martin travels to Jacksonville, Ala. for its final event of the 2022 fall campaign, taking part in the JSU Invitational on Nov. 18-19. Day 1 of the event will take place at 9 a.m. while Day 2 begins at 1:30 p.m.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information