USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – No. 15 UTEP Rifle delivered a historic performance on Saturday, firing a program-record 2372 in air rifle, but narrowly fell to No. 7 Air Force by a single point, 4690-4689, in a thrilling head-to-head matchup. 

The Miners posted a 2317 in smallbore and their school-record 2372 in air rifle, eclipsing the previous air rifle standard of 2370 set last season against then-No. 17 Jacksonville State. 

TEAM SCORES

• UTEP: 2317 (SB) – 2372 (AR) = 4689 
• Air Force: 2320 (SB) – 2370 (AR) = 4690 

Out of a competitive 16-shooter field, Carlee Valenta dominated the line, finishing as the overall match champion with a remarkable 1185 aggregate (586 SB / 599 AR). Her 599 in air rifle matched her own program record, originally set at last season's NCAA Qualifier. Valenta also recorded career highs in smallbore and aggregate. 

UTEP packed the leaderboard with five shooters inside the top 10. Carlee Valenta led the entire field as the all-around champion with an 1185 aggregate. She was followed by a strong team presence, with Kameron Wells placing fourth overall with a 1171 aggregate, and Kennedy Wells close behind in sixth at 1168. Xan Keel continued her rise by finishing seventh with a career-high 1165 aggregate, while Julia Czernik secured a top-10 finish in 10th place with a 1161 aggregate, matching her career air rifle mark. Paige Hildebrandt rounded out the UTEP lineup with a solid 1153 performance. 

UP NEXT
The Miners return to the UTEP Rifle Range on Sunday, October 19, to host powerhouse TCU. 

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