THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 22, 1995 TAG: 9502220547
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Every athlete dreams of playing the perfect game. Usually it is against a time-honored rival with a championship on the line.
That dream came true Saturday for Norfolk Academy's Kayla Becker.
Becker had a season-high 11 kills as the Bulldogs' completed an undefeated season by sweeping Norfolk Collegiate, 15-10, 17-15, 15-7, in the TCIS volleyball final.
Becker, a 5-10 senior middle hitter, had 21 kills in the three-game tournament and was voted the Most Valuable Player. Earlier she was named to the All-TCIS team.
Completing her haul is The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star girls athlete of the week honor.
``I got some great passes and that gave me the opportunity to make some great hits,'' she said.
The pivotal point in the final came in the second game with Norfolk Collegiate leading, 14-11, and serving. An Academy volley hit a girder and fell in play.
The Bulldogs then rallied to go ahead, 15-14, on a block by Becker. The Oaks tied it on a block by Melanie Sandford, but Becker served an ace and Carrie Evans made a kill to give Norfolk Academy the game and a 2-0 lead.
``Once we get a turning point, we usually take advantage of it,'' Becker said.
That's an understatement. Norfolk Academy has lost only one match in the past three years and will carry a 46-match winning streak into next season.
The Bulldogs treat winning almost as a birthright. Several of the volleyball players, including Becker, are on the soccer team, which was 20-1-1 and ranked 14th nationally in one publication last spring.
All of that winning breeds a camaraderie that keeps it fun.
Becker's biggest concern last Friday wasn't playing Catholic in the semifinals, but finding her shoes.
Teammate Amanda Lee, the Bulldogs' captain and a first-team All-TCIS pick, hid Becker's shoes on Thursday night. A frantic Becker finally found them in the training room.
If she hadn't found them?
``I would have just worn my old ones,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
by CNB