Kentucky rifle defeated NC State 4693-4617 on Saturday, improving to 2-0 on the season.

The Wolfpack traveled to Lexington in hopes of starting their season off with a win over the reigning national champions. On the other side, Kentucky entered the competition 1-0, coming off of a 4705-4681 win over Akron last Saturday.

In the final smallbore standings Jaden Thompson, who scored 588, Richard Clark, who scored 587, Allison Buessler, who scored 582, Kayla Kalenza, who scored 579 and Mason Hamilton, who scored 578, all finished in front of NC State’s shooters who were led by Kendall Goebel.

Goebel came in sixth place for the Wolfpack shooting a total of 577. 

Moving to the air rifle category, Kentucky dominated once again, putting five shooters in the top five. Kalenza led the category, shooting a 596, while the closest NC State shooter, Goebel, shot a 589. In between the two, Buessler finished second with a 595, Clark finished third with a 593, Thompson finished fourth with a 592 and Mitchell Nelson finished fifth with a 591.

Overall, Kentucky outshot the Wolfpack 4693-4617 in aggregate, led by Clark and Thompson, who both finished with an aggregate of 1,180. Going down the leaderboard the Wildcats filled out the top four, with Buessler finishing third with an aggregate of 1,177 and Kalenza finishing fourth with an aggregate of 1,175.

The Cats look to improve to 3-0 next Saturday, Oct. 29, against Navy and North Georgia in Lexington.