THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 12, 1994 TAG: 9411120333
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Cox took Virginia high school field hockey to a new level on its home field Friday, becoming the first team in Group AAA history to score more than 100 goals in a season.
The Falcons did that and more in a 5-0 Eastern Region championship victory over Bayside.
Both teams advance to next week's state tournament at Oakton High in Vienna, Va. Cox, the five-time defending state champion, has outscored the opposition this season, 102-2, and is on a 23-game winning streak dating back to last season.
The Falcons (18-0) hit the century mark with 15:48 left in the game on a scorching penalty corner shot by junior forward Kim Miller. Katie McDonald started the play, feeding Miller deep in the circle.
``No, absolutely not, I never once would have thought that a high school team could score 100 goals in a season,'' said coach Nancy Fowlkes, whose team last year scored 85 goals. ``That mark should be out of reach for anybody.''
Anybody but the Falcons.
Cox features the dynamic duo of Miller and Kirsty Hale, the Nos. 1 and 2 career scoring leaders in state history. Miller has 44 goals this season and 91 for her career. Hale, a senior, has 39 and 80.
``Kirsty's timing is unbelievable,'' Fowlkes said. ``And Kim's shot is hard and quick. And you have to give everybody else on the team credit for what they've been doing this year - the way everybody is able to get them the ball once we're on the offensive.
``This team is like some kind of scoring machine.''
Cox took a 1-0 halftime lead when Hale faked out Bayside keeper Jen Walter with a backhand pass to herself, which she then easily poked in.
Miller scored her first of four goals a little more than two minutes into the second half, blasting in a rebound of a Hale penalty corner attempt saved by Walter.
Miller's second goal gave Cox 100 for the season, and she followed it by rounding out the scoring on goals with 10 minutes left and again with 21 seconds remaining. The final score came on another rebound of a Hale shot saved by Walter.
Cox dominated the action, finishing with a 19-1 shooting advantage. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Kim Miller of Cox prepares to shoot during the Falcons' 5-0 victory
over Bayside on Friday. The junior forward scored four goals during
the game, and she is the state's career scoring leader with 91.
by CNB