THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 8, 1994 TAG: 9411080478
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Western Branch opens the defense of its Eastern Region girls volleyball championship today at Tallwood, but without the mystique the Bruins enjoyed last season.
Western Branch dominated the Southeastern District for years before the region offered outside competition. That finally came last year with the first region and state AAA tournaments.
The Bruins won the region, but this year come in as the Southeastern District's No. 2 seed. Indian River is the district's No. 1 seed by virtue of its two victories over the Bruins during the regular season.
Western Branch exacted a measure of revenge in the Southeastern District tournament and comes in as a hot team.
Another hot team is Beach District regular season and tournament champion Kempsville. The Bruins (12-2) and Chiefs (19-1) play at 5 p.m. today in the first semifinal.
Indian River (12-2) faces Salem (16-4) at 6 p.m. The final is scheduled for 7:30.
All matches are best two-of-three games.
``Practice has been good this week, which is scary,'' said Western Branch coach Jim Stanko. ``Normally we don't have good practices. We've gone back to the basics, practicing the fundamentals.
``Kempsville is an excellent serving team. If we can return serve well, we'll be OK. If not, it might be a quick exit.''
JULIE GOODRICH
Eastern Region field hockey: Cox and Lafayette will watch today's first round of the Eastern Region field hockey tournament at Cox from the sidelines - both perennial powers received byes into Wednesday's semifinals.
Five-time defending Group AAA and Beach champion Cox (16-0) will await the winner of today's noon matchup between Tabb and Booker T. Washington. At 2 p.m., Bayside and Maury square off for the right to face Peninsula champion Lafayette (12-1-3).
Tabb (11-3-2) is in its first year of AAA action. Booker T. Washington (8-3-2) is led by Sherika Sadler and Kiki Sowell.
Bayside (14-3) is led by Quan Nim and Dawn Bell. Maury (8-5-1), which has won every Eastern District title, is led by Sally Roman, Katie Roman and Katie Joyner.
Cox, a three-time defending region champion and winner of eight region titles overall, features the top two career scoring leaders in the state in Kim Miller and Kirsty Hale. Hale has 34 goals this season, while Miller has 39. The Falcons have outscored opponents, 85-2.
Bay Rivers Basketball: The quarterfinals begin tonight at the sites of the top four seeds.
Top seed Poquoson takes on eighth-seeded Smithfield.
No. 2 Nansemond River is host to seventh-seeded Franklin.
Bruton, which won a draw with Lakeland for the third seed, plays York. Lakeland, which lost to Nansemond River in the final game of the regular season, plays Southampton.
``Even though Poquoson is the top seed, I think it is really anybody's tournament,'' Lakeland coach Stephanie Odom said. ``Of the teams we play, we have beaten all of them, so we won't go in thinking we lost to them twice, we just can't beat them.
``We know that on any given night we can come out and be victorious.''
With the exception of Bruton, all of the top four seeds split the season series against each other. Bruton lost to Poquoson twice.
The tournament moves to Smithfield for Thursday night's semifinals and Saturday night's final.
DENISE MICHAUX by CNB