ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 19, 1996 TAG: 9604190006
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV11 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: ANGIE WATTS STAFF WRITER
In a newly established program it's sometimes the more experienced players who garner the least attention. And despite the efforts of Christiansburg girl's soccer coach Beverly Biancur, she admits this might be the case for starters Lisa Lisanti, Stewart Milton and Helen Smart.
"There is a lot of varying abilities because the program is new and sometimes I think I expect too much of them, which isn't fair," Biancur said. "They sometimes don't get the attention they deserve, but at the same time it challenges them."
The trio tried out for and made the Olympic Development Program in Richmond last year, an elite organization, and have emerged this season as the teams' leaders.
Smart is the only senior of the three, and she along with senior Vanessa Knowles are the Blue Demon's co-captains. Smart moved to Christiansburg during her eighth-grade year, and although she has played nearly every position on the field, she fills forward duties for the Blue Demons.
"When I lived in Northern Virginia soccer was really popular there," Smart said. "I started playing in rec leagues there and just kept it up when I moved here."
Milton, a junior, was named the New River District Player of the Year last season, leading Christiansburg to a 12-3 record in its inaugural season and the district title. She scored 23 goals on 86 shots and recorded 12 assists from the forward position last year.
"Out of the three, Stewart is the best Division I [collegiate] candidate because of her ability to score and shoot," Biancur said. "She's a good ball handler, but she needs to get a little more aggressive. She's our go-to player because she's a threat deep and she's a threat inside.
"Helen is on the other side of our attack, so when Stewart is being double or triple teamed she's our second go-to player."
Lisanti, also a junior, directs traffic for Milton and Smart while serving as the team's midfielder. After scoring just eight goals on 33 shots through all of last season, Lisanti is already closing in on that mark just three games into this year, leading the Blue Demons with six goals.
Lisanti said it was her four brothers who introduced her to soccer eight years ago. One brother, Tony, plays on the varsity boy's team at Christiansburg.
"Lisa is our centerman, the key to all our assists," Biancur said. "She's got to be the one to know what's going on out on the field. She's getting better at knowing where the other team is and freeing up space for our offensive movement."
The three agree their favorite game of the year comes when they meet up with cross-county rival Blacksburg. The girls from both schools travel together as part of the New River Valley soccer club, so naturally the competition level rises when they meet face-to-face on the field. Combine that with the fact that Biancur works not only as the Christiansburg coach but also as the athletic trainer for Blacksburg, and the game overflows with competitive spirit.
"We're a team that has fun," Biancur said. "We're not here to win, win, win. We want to develop team unity and learn to play with 10 other girls on the field. But winning ... it sure doesn't hurt."
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff Christiansburg High School girl's soccerby CNBteam members (from left)Stewart Milton, Lisa Lisanti and Helen Smart
were part of the Olympic Development Program in Richmond last
year.