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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
TCU
Rebels Open Season With Wins Over TCU, Birmingham Southern
9/29/2002 | Rifle
Sept. 29, 2002
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss women's rifle team opened the season with wins over Texas Christian and Birmingham Southern on Saturday, thanks in large part to the surprise shooting of a new face on the squad.
Ole Miss fired a 1520, one point shy of the school record score set last year, to down TCU, who fired a 1510, at the meet and Birmingham Southern with a 1475. The Rebels were led by the solid shooting of freshman Megan Sandage of Sutter, Calif. Sandage fired a 385 to take the top spot in individual scoring.
"I couldn't be happier with the start of our season," said head coach Valerie Boothe. "We have room for improvement, but one point off the school record is not a bad place to start the year. I'm proud of what the freshmen showed me in our first match, but I am proud of all the members of our team for the way they performed this weekend."
Sandage was joined on the scoring by sophomore Shanda Duval, the returning scoring leader from last season, who fired a 380 in the event. Also shooting toward the team score were freshman Samantha Leach and sophomore Megan Roberts. Leach fired a 379 while Roberts turned in a score of 376.
Competing as individuals on the day were junior Kristin Parker, senior captain Maranda Stockton and freshman Laura Gavin. Parker scored a 381, while Stockton fired a 376. Gavin rounded out the scoring with a 365 on the day.
The Rebels will return to action on Thursday, when the team will travel to Memphis to compete in the Tiger Invitational hosted by the University of Memphis. Ole Miss claimed the Tiger Invitational last season and hopes to accomplish the feat again this season.
"We're really excited about this start to the season, now all we have to do is buckle down, prepare ourselves and come ready to compete at Memphis on Thursday," Boothe said.
TEAM SCORES
OLE MISS 1520
TCU 1510
Birmingham Southern 1475
INDIVIDUAL SCORES
Ole Miss
Megan Sandage 385
Kristin Parker 381*
Shanda Duval 380
Samantha Leach 376
Megan Roberts 376
Maranda Stockton 376*
Laura Gavin 365*
*competed as individuals
TCU-Purple
Stacy Phillips/Hughes 384
Sherri Gallagher 384
A. Celeste Green 383
Jessica Green 359
Birmingham Southern
Sarah Hibbard 382
Dawn Stanfield 368
Janet Palmer 367
Ashley Powell 358
TCU-White
Alisha Fields 365
Andy Pratt 345
Nina Martinez 343
Lindsay Simm 339
