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

DATE: FRIDAY, September 29, 1995                   TAG: 9509290088
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JAMES C. BLACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PATRIOTS SPOIL COACH'S RETURN

Cave Spring volleyball coach Penny Williams found herself in a rare predicament Thursday evening - on the losing side of a Patrick Henry victory.

The former Patrick Henry coach of nine years returned to her old gymnasium and watched as the Patriots defeated the Knights 15-7, 8-15, 15-11, 15-7 in a Roanoke Valley District match.

The Patriots (8-1, 4-0) scored 13 consecutive points to take the first set and held off a persistent Cave Spring team to the win the final two sets.

"Cave Spring played a real tough match," new Patriots coach Marty Swan said. "They made us earn everything."

Swan previously coached the junior varsity squad at Blacksburg.

With Williams on the bench, Patrick Henry evolved into a perennial power. The Patriots finished first or second in district competition the past seven years, including winning RVD titles in 1989 and 1992.

This year, Williams and the Knights have gotten off to a 7-2 overall record and 3-1 in the district. The two losses have come against her former team.

The Patriots defeated the Knights 15-3, 18-16 at the Albemarle Invitational to start the season.

Williams, in her first season at Cave Spring, is not frustrated by losing to her former team. To the contrary.

"It shows what I left and what I am building," Williams said.

What she left behind was a veteran team of six returning seniors. She has a young team with nine sophomores at Cave Spring.

"[Williams' departure] was kind of tough because I was close to Coach Williams," said setter Allison Suggs, who finished with 28 assists and seven digs. "It's not that it hurt, but it was tough."

However, Suggs and her teammates eventually got over seeing Williams on the opposing bench.

"We just had to put aside that she was our former coach," said outside hitter Becca Hogan, who had 16 kills and 12 digs.

Senior middle blockers Gene Kent and Kris Carter each finished with six blocks for Patrick Henry.

Middle blocker Cheryl Rhodes had six blocks and six kills for Patrick Henry.