LEXINGTON ? Senior Jeff Hamberg and junior Vicki Goss rose to the challenge in the Kentucky rifle team?s first intra-squad exhibition of the 2004-05 season over the weekend.

The team shot a half course which consists of 60 air rifle shots and 60 small-bore shots.

?Overall the team responded very well in the first competition,? said head coach Harry Mullins. ?We?ve got some strong air rifle shooters and our numbers this weekend aren?t even scraping the surface yet. I think this team is going to be different than teams we?ve had in the past because I think we are going to be able to continue to get better all year.?

The pair of returning All-Americans, Hamberg and Goss, posted excellent scores to earn the first choice of lockers in the team locker room.

But it wasn?t just the returnees that were solid in the match as freshmen Ray Geyer and Kristi Crenwelge finished third and fourth, respectively.

?I think they learned right off about the pressure at this level,? said Mullins. ?When we do exhibitions like this, it?s about the shooters setting up the order for themselves and that?s the type of competition we try for. But, they learned a lot and learning to perform under pressure conditions is the key thing for them.?

The team will hold its second exhibition this weekend when the four freshmen battle it out with the upperclassmen.