THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 2, 1995 TAG: 9504020173
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
Area soccer fans got their first look at the retooled Hampton Roads Mariners Saturday night, but it was an old favorite who made the difference on the scoreboard as the Mariners defeated the Delaware Wizards, 1-0, at the Center for Effective Learning.
Wayne Pratt, one of only two returning starters, took a cross from Darren Eales and tapped the ball into a wide-open net for the game's goal 14:41 into the second half.
The Mariners will open the United Systems of Soccer Leagues season against the same Wizards on April 15.
This is the first year that Hampton Roads has had professional status. Last season the team competed as the Hurricanes in the semi-professional United States Interregional Soccer League.
Hampton Roads started slowly but soon found its legs, and Eales turned up the intensity 10 minutes into the game to give the Mariners their best scoring chance of the first half.
The ball was sent in on the Delaware goal, but keeper Peter Pappas allowed the rebound to get behind him. Eales was in place for a point-blank scoring chance, but his shot hit off Wizards defender Tom Boykin's legs and out of play.
Mariners coach Sonny Travis said he was looking at four players in particular - recent additions Ryan Lieb, Mike Veneto, Brandon Ward, and Sean Murphy. All but Veneto started.
``We did start sluggish, but we knew we had to give them time to get into the game,'' Travis said. by CNB