Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511130095
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
\ This may take some getting used to.
But not that much.
They leapt, hugged, and slapped sweaty palms until they glowed red with the impact. Tears flowed like mountain springs.
The rookie coach addressed his victorious troops thusly: ``Thank you, thank you, thank you.''
Patrick Henry High's girls evidently know how to express rampaging joy nearly as well they play volleyball. And they play volleyball very well indeed, as they demonstrated to two vanquished foes Saturday at the Group AAA Northwestern Region tournament at Patrick Henry.
The Patriots seized their first regional volleyball championship trophy since 1985 by decking Albemarle 15-4, 15-8 in the semifinals, then turning back Woodbridge in a tough match 15-11, 16-14 for the championship.
In the second game against Woodbridge, PH (19-2) was down 12-7, then 14-12, but would not buckle.
``I've got five senior starters and there is no substitute for that kind of experience in a match like this,'' PH coach Marty Swan said.
There was no substitute for the resolve showed by seniors Kris Carter, Gene Kent, Rebecca Hogan, Allison Suggs, and Carrie Moore when the Vikings were closing in on a victory that would force a third game.
``The reason Woodbridge got up on us to begin with was because we lost our concentration,'' Suggs said. ``Once we started concentrating on our passing and playing smart, we started winning again.''
The Patriots advance to the state tournament Nov.17-18 at Tallwood High in Virginia Beach. PH will play Eastern Region runner-up Indian River at 7 p.m. Friday. Either Clover Hill or Mills Godwin of the Central Region will play Eastern champion Salem 30 minutes after the first game. The championship will be 2 p.m. Saturday.
In both the victory over Albemarle and the one over Woodbridge, the Patriots' big hitters, Hogan and Kent, rarely missed an open shot. Hogan attributed her success to communication with her teammates.
``I've been working on that,'' she said. ``It used to be I'd already have made up my mind where I was going to hit it. If there was a blocker who happened to be there, then I probably would have been blocked. Now, I try to listen and hit it around them.''
Woodbridge had an emotional 15-13, 9-15, 15-7 victory over C.D. Hylton in the semifinals, the hangover from which may have carried into the title match.
``It took us a while to figure Patrick Henry out and by then it was too late,'' Woodbridge coach Mike Petock said. ``These matches should go five games like they do in college. If this one had, I think we would have beaten them. However, we didn't have anybody ready to step up and take advantage of situations when they were presented to us.''
Patrick Henry didn't have as much of a semifinal struggle as Woodbridge did.
``Patrick Henry played great and we didn't show up,'' said Albemarle coach Mark Ragland, whose team handed the Patriots an early-season loss. ``We were too nervous, I guess.''
by CNB