MOREHEAD, Ky. -- For just the second time in program history, Morehead State Rifle won the Smallbore portion of the Ohio Valley Conference Championship. While the Eagles finished second in the overall event to Murray State, senior Hayden Bell set the school record in Air Rifle and was the event's top scorer in Air Rifle. Sophomore Trey Myers tied for the best Smallbore score in the championship.
MSU scored a 2318 in Smallbore Saturday to best Murray State by four points, but the Racers overtook the Eagles in Air Rifle and ended up with 4687 points to the Eagles' 4669. Host UT Martin was third at 4599.
Bell fired a 598 with 53 center shots, the best Air total of the 15 competitors. He topped his previous school standard of 598-46 centers set at the NCAA qualifier last season. He also scored the best aggregate total of all the shooters this weekend with a 1179 and 86 total center targets. That marked his career-best aggregate scorecard.
For his efforts, Bell earned First-Team All-OVC in Air Rifle and Smallbore. He was joined in all-conference accolades by Myers (First-Team Smallbore, Second-Team Air Rifle), Adrianna Beard (Second-Team Smallbore and Air), Hannah Goin (Second-Team Air, All-Newcomer Air) and Chloe Shannon (Second-Team Smallbore).
In Air Rifle, besides Bell, Beard fired a 586. Myers (585), Goin (582) and George Kuhne (582) finished out the scoring.
Smallbore was paced by Myers' 584 (with 36 centers), tying Murray State's Lea Soule for event honors. Bell (581), Beard (577), Shannon (576) and Kuhne (571) rounded out the Eagle lineup. Bell tied his personal best in Smallbore and set a personal record in standing at 196.
Morehead State now turns its attention toward the NCAA Qualifier match at Kentucky on Feb. 21.
ALL-OVC TEAMS
Air Rifle First Team
Carlotta Salafia, Murray State
Caroline Martin, Murray State
Hayden Bell, Morehead State
Emma Lawrence, Murray State
Lea Soulé, Murray State
Smallbore First Team
Trey Myers, Morehead State
Lea Soulé, Murray State
Hayden Bell, Morehead State
Carlotta Salafia, Murray State
Joey Kovach, UT Martin
Air Rifle Second Team
Adrianna Beard, Morehead State
Abby Ballard, Murray State
Trey Myers, Morehead State
Joey Kovach, UT Martin
Hannah Goin, Morehead State
Smallbore Second Team
Adrianna Beard, Morehead StateChloe Shannon, Morehead State
Caroline Martin, Murray State
Abby Ballard, Murray State
Sophia Ashford, UT Martin
Air Rifle All-Newcomer Team
Hannah Goin, Morehead State
Abby Ballard, Murray State
Lea Soulé, Murray State
Sophia Ashford, UT Martin
Olivia Harvey, UT Martin
Smallbore All-Newcomer Team
Abby Ballard, Murray State
Lea Soulé, Murray State
Sophia Ashford, UT Martin
Olivia Harvey, UT Martin