NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University rifle team took to Baroffio's Rifle Range for their first match of the 2025 calendar year, falling to the University of Rhode Island, 4452-4374, in a Mid-Atlantic Rifle Conference showdown on Saturday.

Norwich's 4374 aggregate mark included a 2206 score in the smallbore, just shy of the Rams' 2222 tally.  The University of Rhode Island also proved victorious in the air rifle, recording a 2230 score to Norwich's 2168.

Sophia Ashford (Northfield, Vt.) was the top shooter across both teams, racking up a third-place 566 score in the smallbore before posting an impressive first-place 583 performance in the air rifle.  Her efforts combined for a 1149 finish, nine points ahead of the Rams' Sophia Wood.

Ben Kelley (Niantic, Conn.) finished fifth overall and second among Cadets, logging a career-best 565 score in the smallbore to go with a 529 effort in the air rifle.  Aiden Burris (Marietta, Ga.) and Evan Elders (Spring Hill, Fla.) saw action in both smallbore and air rifle competitions.

Jacob Cohn (Colchester, Conn.), Sage Kontny (Clancy, Mont.), Alma Negrete (Fontana, Calif.), Brady Simmons (Middletown, Del.), Makeda Watson (Braintree, Mass.), and Grace Richardson (Phoenix, Ariz.) rounded out the field for Norwich, seeing time in either smallbore or air rifle events throughout the day.

NORWICH LEADERS:

• First-year Sophia Ashford (Northfield, Vt.)
  • 1149 aggregate, 566 smallbore, 583 air rifle
• Sophomore Ben Kelley (Niantic, Conn.)
  • 1094 aggregate, 565 smallbore, 529 air rifle
• Junior Aiden Burris (Marietta, Ga.)
  • 1089 aggregate, 563 smallbore, 526 air rifle
• Sophomore Evan Elders (Spring Hill, Fla.)
  • 1001 aggregate, 487 smallbore, 514 air rifle
• First-year Alma Negrete (Fontana, Calif.)
  • 529 air rifle
• Sophomore Sage Kontny (Clancy, Mont.)
  • 527 air rifle
• Junior Grace Richardson (Phoenix, Ariz.)
  • 520 air rifle
• Junior Jacob Cohn (Colchester, Conn.)
  • 512 smallbore
• First-year Makeda Watson (Braintree, Mass.)
  • 501 smallbore
• Junior Brady Simmons (Middletown, Del.)
  • 498 air rifle

The Cadets will return to the range next month, traveling to conference foe Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Saturday, Feb. 8, for the annual Beanpot at the DuPoint Rifle Range in Cambridge, Mass., for a 9:00 a.m. match.  Norwich then comes home to host MIT at Baroffio's Rifle Range on Saturday, Feb. 15.