Georgia Southern Downs No. 20 UNG To Claim State Title

Sunday, November 15

Statesboro, GA - CLOSED TO PUBLIC

2 PM

Georgia Southern University

4563

4562

North Georgia

11/15/2020 7:19:00 PM | Women's Rifle

Program records first win against Top-20 team

NCAA SCORECARD

STATESBORO - The Georgia Southern rifle team Saturday captured the Georgia Collegiate Championship at the Shooting Sports Education Center, pulling out a heart-stopping one-point win over No. 20 North Georgia, as well as victory over Georgia Military College. Georgia Southern posted its highest score of the season, hitting the 4,563 team aggregate mark, 21 points higher than its previous best.

In smallbore, the team posted a 2,252, 22 points higher than their previous best this season and just three points off the school record. Since the opener in September, the Eagles have improved 35 points as a team. Freshman Brianne Staton placed second with a 568, tying her career best, while Ashley Judson smashed her season best with a 567 to place third. Kinsley Hannon placed fourth with a career-high 563 and Bella Gamez made her collegiate debut with a 554 to place eighth. Lillian Herring rounded out the group with a 542 to place 10th.

Trailing by four to UNG at the break, the Eagles came out hot in air rifle and used a total team effort, capped by a nine on the final shot by Judson to seal their first win ever over a top-20 team.

In air rifle, the team scored 2,311 points, one point off highest effort of the season. Staton tied for the lead with a career-high 583, but took second with three less center shots than UNG's Kimberlee Nettles. Judson came through in the clutch, rebounding from a 94 in the opening 10 shots to fly up the leaderboard and place third with a 582. Hannon shot a 576 for fifth place, followed by Herring (570; 8th) and Erin Ballard (564; 9th).

Staton led the Eagles with a career-high 1,151 to take second. Judson placed third with a 1,149, Hannon placed fourth with a 1,139 and Herring placed seventh with a 1,112.

The 4,563 aggregate is the third-highest score in program history and the team's highest ever at the SSEC.

Words From Coach Worman:
"Congratulations to the team on their win! I'm incredibly proud of the hard work they put into the match today. It was the kind of day where the success did not come easy, but they dug in and fought for every point; they never gave up and they never gave in. It's the kind of maturity and professionalism that comes from being more than a score. A score will let you down, but steeping in your own solid process and relying on yourself will come through every time. The team embodied one of my favorite quotes today: "We compete to prove something to ourselves; that we're the best we know how to be."

THE SCORES
Georgia Southern: 4,563 (2,252 smallbore; 2,311 air rifle)
#20 North Georgia: 4,562 (2,256 smallbore; 2,306 air rifle)
Georgia Military: 3,306 (1,184 smallbore; 2,122 air rifle)

THE INDIVIDUALS (Alphabetical Order)
Erin Ballard
Freshman - Reedsville, W.Va.
Air Rifle - 564 (9th)

Bella Gamez
Freshman - San Antonio, Texas
Smallbore - 554 (8th)

Kinsley Hannon
Freshman - Newnan, Ga.
Smallbore - 563 (4th; CAREER HIGH)
Air Rifle - 576 (5th)
Aggregate - 1,139 (4th)

Lillian Herring
Sophomore - York, Pa.
Smallbore - 542 (10th)
Air Rifle - 570 (8th)
Aggregate - 1,112 (7th)

Ashley Judson
Sophomore - Acworth, Ga.
Smallbore - 567 (3rd; SEASON HIGH)
Air Rifle - 582 (3rd)
Aggregate - 1,149 (3rd)

Brianne Staton
Freshman - Deatsville, Ala.
Smallbore - 568 (2nd; TIES CAREER HIGH)
Air Rifle - 583 (2nd; CAREER HIGH)
Aggregate - 1,151 (2nd; CAREER HIGH)

Up Next: The Eagles are scheduled to return to action on Thursday, Nov. 19 against No. 11 Alaska Fairbanks in Oxford, Mississippi. The match will conclude the first half of the 2020-21 season.