
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994                    TAG: 9406010674 
SECTION: SPORTS                     PAGE: C6    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940601                                 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH

FC GIRLS REACH SEMIS WITH 1-0 SOCCER WIN

{LEAD} First Colonial has made six consecutive appearances in the state girls soccer tournament without winning it.

But after First Colonial nipped Thomas Jefferson of Alexandria, 1-0, Tuesday night in a state quarterfinal match, coach Janet Rowlands spoke boldly about the Patriots' chances.

{REST} ``These girls have been working hard for three years and I'd really like to see them go the distance,'' she said of her eight seniors. ``I think we're going to do it.''

First Colonial (13-5-1) takes the next step Friday at 3 against Northwest Region champion Woodbridge at Hylton High in Woodbridge.

The Patriots advanced on the strength of Catherine deGruy's header off a corner kick with three seconds left in the first half.

Stephanie Smith took the corner kick and deGruy went up near the edge of the goal box to redirect it home. The ball grazed the bottom of the crossbar and fell across the line.

``I was supposed to be on the goalie,'' deGruy said. ``I just went up and got it.''

Jefferson, the Northern Region runner-up, played without Staci Wilson, a member of the under-20 national team who was vacationing in the Bahamas with her family.

``We've played without her before,'' Jefferson coach Luc Beeckman said. ``We were prepared to go all the way without her.''

The teams appeared evenly matched and the difference was First Colonial goalie Stephanie Reavis. She made a diving save on a hard shot by Beth Zotter midway through the first half and went high to rob Zotter again early in the second half, tipping her high, arching shot over the bar.

``I don't know if there was one big save that won the game,'' Reavis said. ``But I was really on and ready to go after every ball.''

First Colonial's defense collapsed on every play in the box and denied Jefferson any shots from short range. On the few instances when the backs were caught out of position Reavis pounced on the loose balls.

``Defense won the game for us,'' deGruy said. ``We showed great hustle.'' by CNB