THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 16, 1994 TAG: 9411160569
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Jaci Morris calls it ``a feeling.''
She had it when her Western Branch volleyball team went into the Eastern Region tournament as a No. 2 seed from the Southeastern District, and then won the region championship.
``I had a feeling we would win,'' she said.
Very instrumental in the victory, the 5-foot-7, 135-pounder turned in a stellar performance offensively and defensively. She led the Bruins to victories over Beach District champion Kempsville (15-7, 15-9) and Southeastern titlist Indian River (4-15, 15-6, 15-11) in the playoffs, capturing The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star's female athlete of the week honors.
Morris had six aces, four blocks and 14 kills. She was 15-of-16 on service.
``Jaci has the personality of a good athlete,'' Western Branch coach Jim Stanko said. ``She's very competitive and is a leader through individual effort. She doesn't like to lose.
``Most of all, she loves to hit. She likes to pound that ball.''
The Bruins (17-3) are preparing for a Friday trip to Richmond, facing once-beaten Mills Godwin in the state tournament.
``I have that feeling,'' said Morris. ``We are going to win. I just feel it.''
Morris, a three-sport star at Western Branch (softball and basketball), is winding up her third season as a volleyball regular.
The 16-year-old junior believes the Bruins ``are playing our very best right now.
``I could see our team coming together as we went along,'' she said. ``Now we're really ready to go.''
Morris, an All-Tidewater outfielder in softball and the Bruins' No. 2 pitcher, would like for Western Branch to put together state titles in volleyball and softball. ``We have a lot of the same players,'' she pointed out. ``We have five from the softball team.''
She says softball is her favorite sport but volleyball rates a close second. ``I hope to play one of them in college,'' she said. ``Both if I could.''
Stanko, who coaches the boys baseball team at Western Branch, says he doubts there are many boys in the school ``who can pitch a softball as hard as Jaci does.''
Morris would like to catch the eye of college scouts in postseason play and wants to attend a school not far from home. Morris has a 2.6 grade-point average and already has a resume ready for recruiters.
Morris says it would be nice to add a state championship on the resume.
She has ``that feeling.'' by CNB