TCU
Alaska
Preview: #3 Alaska, #11 Ohio State
11/15/2018 2:21:00 PM | Women's Rifle
FORT WORTH, Texas – Following a tough loss to top-ranked West Virginia, the No. 6 ranked TCU Horned Frogs look to return to their winning ways against two conference foes. First, the Frogs will host No. 3 Alaska in a top 10 showdown on Friday and then travel to Columbus, Ohio for a match-up with the 11th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday.
Alaska hasn't competed since Oct. 28 when it defeated Jacksonville State 4,684-4,628. Ohio State is coming off a second-place finish at Murray State. They fell to the Racers by a score of 4,682-4,651, but defeated Nevada and UTEP.
Entering the weekend, TCU has the second-best aggregate average (4,697.4) in the country while Alaska (4,680.2) and Ohio State (4,656.6) rank sixth and eighth, respectively. The Frogs also have top air rifle average in the nation with a mark of 2,373.7 and the fifth ranked smallbore average (2,323.7).
The Frogs are led by three of the top 13 shooters in the NCAA. Rachel Garner ranks second nationally with a 1,183.1 average aggregate followed by Elizabeth Marsh in ninth with a 1,173.7 and Casey Lutz in 13th with a 1,173.1. Alaska is paced by Kellen McAferty (1,173.2), the 12th ranked shooter in the country, while the Buckeyes are paced by Rhiann Travis with a score of 1,171.4.
In smallbore, TCU has the third and eighth ranked performers in the nation. Garner owns the team's top mark in the nation with a 586.6 average. Marsh rounds out the top eight with an average score of 582.7. Alaska is led by McAferty (582.2) and Ohio State is led by Travis (581.3).
The Frogs have dominated the air rifle discipline this season with two of the top five shooters in the NCAA. Garner ranks second in the nation with a 596.5 average and Lutz sits in fifth with a 595.8. TCU has outshot their opponent in air rifle in every match this season. JT Schnering owns the top average for Alaska, while Ohio State is again paced by Travis, who averages a mark of 590.1.
Last season, the Frogs defeated Ohio State by a score of 4,716-4,693 in Fort Worth. TCU last faced off against Alaska in 2016, defeating the Nanooks by a score of 4,709-4,679.
