MURRAY, Kty. – The University of Kentucky rifle team totaled 6180points to win its third straight Withrow Invitational title Sunday at MurrayState University. Alaska-Fairbanks tallied 6169 points to take second placewhile host Murray State finished third with 6137 points.

“It’s nice to be the two-time defending champions and come back to win athird straight time,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said after the match.

Senior Owen Blakemore won the individual smallbore title with 1169 ofKentucky’s 4642 smallbore points, leading the Wildcats to the teamsmallbore title. Teammates Mary Elsass finished fourth and Erik Andersonfinished fifth in the smallbore with 1167 and 1166 points, respectively.

“That is about where we want to be in terms of 4642 points in thesmallbore,” Mullins said. “We shot well and showed a lot of versatility withthe different people we had shooting today.”

Elsass took the individual air rifle title with 389 points while leading UK to asecond place team finish. It was the fourth time this season that Elsass led allshooters in the air rifle. Jacksonville (Ala.) State won the team air rifle crownwith 1548 points while Wildcats scored 1538 points to secure the secondslot.

Kentucky is back in action Feb. 15-16 when it returns to Murray State forthe NCAA Sectional Meet.