THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505210184
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
In its last three games, the Cox boys soccer team appears to have regained some of the momentum it lost towards season's end.
Evidence to the fact was provided with a decisive 4-1 Beach District tournament championship victory over First Colonial Saturday at Ocean Lakes.
It was the Patriots' first loss to a district opponent all season.
Cox will open region play at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Tallwood against Great Bridge. Top-ranked First Colonial travels to Darling Stadium in Hampton to face Deep Creek in a 5:30 p.m. quarterfinal.
Against the Patriots (12-2-2) the fourth-ranked Falcons finished with a 15-6 shooting advantage and never let the Patriots in the action until the last three minutes.
``We started real good this season and then kind of got in a rut,'' senior Matt Wilbricht said. ``We've changed up a little bit. We've put more emphasis on the attack and we seem to be climbing back up slowly but surely.''
The defending Group AAA runner-up Falcons (11-2-3) opened the tournament with a 3-0 victory over Salem they needed to advance to the Eastern Region tournament.
Cox showed that intensity in the first nine minutes of action, when J.J. Steckroth worked a loose ball in front of the goal and blasted a shot with his left foot into the lower right corner of the box. First Colonial keeper Corey Fogle appeared to be screened on the play by several players.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Nathan Vrooman fed Wilbricht a nice pass to go up 2-0.
Cox wasted little time in the second half, with Gordon Peters poking a loose ball past Fogle from about 30 yards out seven minutes into play. Two minutes later, Cox was awarded a penalty kick and Ben Kjome went left with Fogle guessing right.
First Colonial finally got on the board with 2:48 left when Ryan Beshany tapped in a loose ball past reserve keeper Jose Pehovas. by CNB