
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 11, 1993                   TAG: 9311110129
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By BRIAN DeVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PH LOSES IN REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL

Patrick Henry head coach Penny Williams knew what she'd be facing when her team hosted Osbourn Park in the opening round of the Group AAA Northwestern Region volleyball playoffs on Wednesday night.

"I knew they'd be a good serving team," she said.

That turned out to be the difference as the Yellow Jackets used two big runs and several big serves to nail down a 15-5, 15-13 win over the Patriots. Osbourn Park advances to Saturday's regional semifinals, where it faces the winner of Wednesday night's Heritage-Woodbridge game in Charlottesville.

The Yellow Jackets (16-7 overall), who finished second in the Cardinal District this year, scored 12 unanswered points in the first game to take a 13-2 lead. Yellow Jackets senior Laura Gregorio served 10 of those points, keeping the Patriots off balance with her booming serves.

Osbourn Park senior Amy Robinson blazed the winning point of the first game untouched past the Patriots.

"We didn't come out strong," Williams said. "They had some good serving."

Patrick Henry (14-3) came back strong in the second game, as it jumped to a 7-1 lead. Four of those points came off serves from Patriots junior Shannon Peery.

But the Yellow Jackets, led by Gregorio's serves, got red hot again. Osbourn Park scored 10 unanswered points to take an 11-7 lead. Gregorio served on six of the points.

After trailing 13-9, the Patriots fought back and tied the game at 13-13 before the Yellow Jackets finally iced it. Osbourn Park junior Julia Stevens blasted the ball past the Patriots at the net to give her team a 14-13 lead, then scored the winning point when her hit was not returned.

"There were a lot of great serves," said Osbourn Park assistant coach Laura Testerman, who filled in for head coach Dan Jones, whose wife had a baby on Wednesday. "We did super. This is his [Jones'] team, and I wanted to see them do well."

For PH, which won the Roanoke Valley District regular season and tournament titles, the season is over.

"We had a successful season," Williams said. "But it's hard to go out this way. We thought we'd at least make it to Saturday."

by CNB