THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9409300225
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 27 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH AND BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
The five-game marathon Wednesday between Western Branch and Indian River, won by the Braves, 9-15, 13-15, 15-10, 15-8, 15-10, shows how comparable the two programs have become.
Western Branch has long dominated volleyball in the Southeastern District, winning or sharing every title for the past 10 years.
The Bruins and the Braves both posted 9-1 records last year, splitting their two matches.
Indian River's only loss in its first seven outings this year was to Mills Godwin of Richmond. The Braves were 4-0 in their first four Southeastern outings (before Thursday's match with Great Bridge).
``We have only four seniors on the squad,'' Indian River coach Linda Rice said. ``But they are our leaders. I've coached some of these girls since the seventh grade.
``We beat Midlothian, but the win over Western Branch has to be our biggest one yet. It was more important.''
An update on the district teams at the midway point:
WESTERN BRANCH: Coach Jim Stanko is touting his team's performance in a skill that often gets overlooked - service percentage.
``I'm real pleased with how the girls are doing, because it's been our weak point in the past,'' Stanko said. ``We're really just trying to get the ball in play, although we still are hitting the ball hard.''
The Bruins were getting 91 percent of their serves into play before Wednesday's match. Starters Cathy Arnette (96 percent), Jaci Morris (95 percent), Katie McPhail (93 percent) and Amanda Adkins (91 percent) lead the pack.
Two Western Branch players are taking different paths in recovering from their injuries. Junior Calee Morris (broken foot) has just returned to practice and will be watched closely by Stanko. Natalie Davis, however, still hasn't felt 100 percent preseason neck injury. She was scheduled to have an MRI on Wednesday.
Statistically, Morris leads the team in kills with 16, followed by McPhail (14) and Adkins (13). McPhail leads the team with 8 blocks.
INDIAN RIVER: The Braves were focusing on blocking in the practices leading up to their match with Western Branch, and two players were showing tremendous signs of improvement.
``Robyn Clark is really coming along. She knocked our first-string setter right out of a job,'' Rice said. ``Quiana White has moved up to be out number one middle blocker . . . she's improved so much in maturity that I'd put her up against anyone.''
Indian River will be traveling to Midlothian for a tournament this weekend. It is the third straight year the Braves have been invited.
GREAT BRIDGE: The Wildcats surged out to a perfect 4-0 start in the district entering Thursday night's game at Indian River.
The Wildcats have lost only two games in the district (15-9 in their season opener with Churchland and 15-13 to a tough Deep Creek team) and have scored a 15-7, 15-3, 15-6 winner over non-district Tabb.
DEEP CREEK: The Hornets opened the season with a rude awakening, a grueling five-game loss to fledgling Oscar Smith. Since then, Deep Creek's performance has been an alternating win-loss-win affair, with a loss to Great Bridge sandwiched between victories over Wilson and Churchland.
OSCAR SMITH: Coach Lynette Reuss' Tigers opened the season on a high note, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to score a 15-10, 2-15, 12-15, 15-6, 15-4 victory over highly regarded Deep Creek in the first event ever held in the new Oscar Smith gym. But since then, the Tigers have dropped four straight, and Reuss is at a loss to explain why.
``No one's really playing well on a consistent basis. They come to practice and work hard, they just can't put it together when they need to,'' she said. Oscar Smith has won only one game, 15-2 over Western Branch, during the losing streak.
``I'm sure it's frustrating for them, because I know it's frustrating for me.''
CHURCHLAND: As a first-year team, it was expected that the Truckers would suffer their share of growing pains. True enough, in their first three matches, coach Bobbi Schuler's team only won one game, 15-9 over Great Bridge in the opener.
After that, Churchland had the unenviable task of facing the two powerhouses in the district, losing 3-game matches to Western Branch and Indian River. But the Truckers got on track last week, scoring a 16-14, 15-6, 16-14 win over Oscar Smith, the first in the school's history.
WILSON: The Presidents opened with a monster schedule, facing Indian River, Deep Creek, Great Bridge and Western Branch. Wilson hasn't won a match, and John Thomas' team is still looking to win its first game.
``It's tough, but we're hanging in there right now,'' he said. ``The girls realize what they're up against, and facing these teams now will help us know what to expect later in the season.''
According to Thomas, one of the highlights came against Deep Creek, when Amy Long notched four consecutive serving aces. by CNB