FORT WORTH, Texas – UTEP Rifle continued its historic run of consistency on the range Saturday morning, posting a 4705 aggregate in a tough road matchup against host TCU at the TCU Rifle Range. The Miners finished just behind the Horned Frogs, who tallied a 4736 team aggregate.

TCU claimed the edge in both events, taking smallbore 2354–2334 and air rifle 2382–2371.

Despite the result, UTEP's performance marked another milestone for the program. The Miners have now recorded five straight matches with a 4700 team aggregate or higher, and Saturday's score represents the sixth 4700-plus mark in program history. All six of those historic totals have come this season under the direction of fourth-year head coach Andrea Palafox.

Carlee Valenta paced the Miners with a standout performance, finishing third overall with an 1185 aggregate. Valenta matched second-place TCU shooter Katie Zaun in score, with Zaun narrowly earning the tiebreaker on centers. TCU's Rylie Passmore topped the field with an 1189 aggregate.

Valenta also placed third in both disciplines, firing a 588 in smallbore and a 597 in air rifle.

UTEP's scoring lineup was rounded out by Kameron Wells (1176), Kennedy Wells (1174), Xan Keel (1167), Julia Czernik (1167) and Paige Hildebrandt (1154).

Czernik matched her career personal best in smallbore with a 580, while Kennedy Wells also tied her career best with a 581 in the event.
 

UP NEXT
The Miners will remain in Fort Worth for one more day of competition, taking on Schreiner University on Sunday, Feb. 1, with sighters beginning at 8 a.m. MT/9 a.m. CT, once again hosted by TCU.

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