No. 8 Miners look to resume success in second half of season

Following a successful first half of the season and a long layoff, the UTEP rifle team will be looking to get back in the swing of things when they resume the 2011-12 season Jan. 28 in Murray, Kentucky at the Withrow Tournament.

The Miners, whose last competition was in November, are looking forward to capitalizing on the success they received the first half of the season. UTEP is currently No. 8 in the NCAA, but was ranked as high as fifth in mid-October.

"I'd rather be ranked fourth or fifth," head coach George Brenzovich said. "The goal is to be ranked higher prior to the national qualifier."

To begin the 2011-12 season, the Miners went up against two top-10 teams in No. 7 Nevada and No. 2 TCU in their first two contests of the year. They would go on a four-game winning streak until dropping their last competition of the fall Nov. 12 against Nevada. Though the Miners have a winning record, it's the individual scores that count, said Brenzovich. With that, he said everyone on the roster has stepped up their game.

Leading the team with the highest aggregate score of 1,164 is senior Andrea Palafox.

"If everyone keeps doing as they were during the first half of the season we will have a very good chance of having a good spot for nationals." Palafox said.

Palafox's biggest performances came Oct. 1 against TCU and in a triangular competition Oct. 29, which involved Nevada and Alaska-Fairbanks. She posted aggregate scores of 1,171 in both events. She achieved her highest scores in smallbore with a 583 and in air rifle with a 594 against TCU and Alaska-Fairbanks and Nevada, respectively.

Senior Alix Moncada, the recipient of the NCAA's Elite 88 Award, is behind Palafox in aggregate score with 1,162. Moncada's highest total score came during the Alaska-Fairbanks and Nevada meet, where she shot 1,167. She registered a 592 Nov. 12 against Nevada in their contest.

Leading the underclassmen is sophomore Andrea Vautrin. With her success early on this season, she hopes to capitalize for her own personal accomplishment and for the team.

"I reached my personal goal of shooting higher than a 580 in smallbore," Vautrin said. "Hopefully in the second half of the season, I can maintain a 580 average so I'd have to shoot that score all throughout the year."

Vautrin's highest scores came Oct. 8 against Air Force and while competing against Alaska-Fairbanks and Nevada. She put up a total of 1,170 against the Falcons and 1,164 against the Wolf Pack and Nanooks. Not only did she post her highest totals in these outings, she put up her highest individual scores in smallbore and air rifle there.

With the season just around the corner, the Miners have already been practicing since Jan. 10. They began practicing air-rifle shooting, with every player taking 30 to 60 shots during practice, and started smallbore workouts Jan. 14.

The second half of the schedule sees UTEP taking place in the Withrow Tournament, rematches with Air Force and TCU Feb. 4 and Feb. 11, respectively, and the NCAA Qualifier Feb. 18 against Nevada. Last year, in the Withrow Tournament, the Miners put up a score of 4,584, with Moncada, Palafox and Vautrin leading the way.

"I'm looking forward to our team making it to the NCAA's," Vautrin said. "UTEP has not been there in awhile."

This semester will also be the curtain call for Moncada and Palafox. Both shooters have had decorated careers as Miners, with both making Conference-USA's first and second teams, and recipients of the C-USA Commissioners Honor Roll. Moncada was an Elite 88 recipient last season and placed seventh at the NCAA Championships.

Rusty Burns may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.