LEXINGTON ? The Kentucky rifle team dropped a heartbreaking decision to Murray State on Sunday as the match came down to center shots.

The Wildcats and Racers were deadlocked at 4617-4617 after the air rifle and smallbore competitions, but Murray took the victory based on a 261-224 center-shot count.

The meet was close throughout as the Racers, which finished ninth in the nation a year ago, held just a three-point lead following smallbore. In air rifle, the Wildcats closed the gap behind a pair of 582s by Ray Geyer and Chris Boggs.

?This was as close as you can get,? said head coach Harry Mullins. ?Murray has a good program and knowing we were right with them, shot for shot, gives us confidence moving forward.?

Vicki Goss led the way in air rifle with a solid 580, but no other Wildcat competing broke the 575 plateau en route to a 2302 score. Boggs, who shot as an individual, managed a 577, which would have given Kentucky the victory had he been on the first team.

?I think we shot pretty well, so the loss is a little disappointing,? Mullins said. ?We could have had a win, but I?m proud of the way the team competed.?

Murray?s Robert Purdy was the catalyst for the Racers with a 584 smallbore total and a match-high 585 in air rifle. He was second in smallbore in the match to teammate Cameron Hicks, who fired a 588. The pair combined for 149 center shots as well.

Kentucky returns to action the weekend of Nov. 20-21 with matches against NC State and defending national champion Alaska-Fairbanks.