The No. 8 ranked NC State rifle team opened the season with wins over The Citadel and No. 10 Akron before dropping its first match to No. 16 Memphis on Saturday, Oct. 27, and then suffering another defeat at the hands of No. 12 Ole Miss on Sunday, Oct 28.

Under first-year head coach Emily Holsopple, the Wolfpack (2-2, 1-2 GARC) stormed out of the gates with its second-highest score in a season opener in program history and the highest score in a season opener on the road when it scored 4658 against The Citadel (2-6).

The Pack was led by junior Kendra Jacobs and senior Claire Spina in the match against The Citadel. Jacobs led the Wolfpack in the smallbore with a score of 583 and perfect scores on both series in the kneeling position. Spina chartered career-best scores in both smallbore (579) and air rifle (589) and registered the Wolfpack’s lone perfect series in air rifle.

Against No. 10 Akron (1-3), the Wolfpack needed Jacobs and Spina to have strong showings again and they provided to give NC State the narrow victory, 4664-4659, and its first conference win of the young season.

Jacobs led the field in aggregate scoring and set her career-high with a score of 1183. She matched her career-high in smallbore with a 589 and then fell just two short of her career-high in air rifle with a 594.

Spina finished fourth overall in aggregate scoring after tallying 1167, the second-best score of her career.

Against Memphis (1-3), the Wolfpack tallied a team score of 2299 in the smallbore competition and a 2331 in the air rifle event, but it was not enough, as the Tigers tallied a 2302 in smallbore and a 2344 in air rifle to take the aggregate.

Spina was again one of the Wolfpack’s best performers, but even her scores of 579 and 586, were unable to carry the Wolfpack to victory.

Finally, on Sunday against the No.12 Ole Miss Rebels (3-3), the Wolfpack lost 4664-4628.

Freshman Emily Fisher had a career day with career-highs in both smallbore and air rifle, scoring a 571 and a 587, but it wasn’t enough as the Wolfpack dropped to 2-2 on the year and 1-2 in conference play.

The Pack will be back in action on Nov. 9 to face Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.