THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 23, 1995 TAG: 9506230647
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
With a heavy foot on the accelerator, Marcie Laumann and Susan Smith, co-owners of the Hampton Roads Piranhas, quickly put the wheels in motion to bring Virginia's first-ever women's United Systems of Independent Soccer League team to South Hampton Roads.
In three weeks' time, Laumann and Smith managed to purchase the franchise and fill the roster with some of the best talent to come out of the area and from around the country.
``I don't think anyone expected it,'' Smith said. ``It's a rather difficult venture to go out and do.''
But somehow they did. And now the Piranhas are a day away from their first game, which begins at 5 p.m. at Cox High School Saturday night against none other than the Eastern Division-leading Long Island Lady Roughriders (2-0).
``Saturday is the first ever game like this in Virginia,'' Smith said. ``I don't know if it's had time to hit the community. We've just been trying to get the team together. We haven't had time to breathe!''
Though the community awareness of the new amateur women's league might be sparse, it's where Laumann and Smith built their team's foundation.
First, they enlisted Granby girls soccer coach Joanie Murphy to take the coaching job. Murphy guided the Comets to their first Eastern District tournament title and region berth, then spent countless hours trying to field a 26-player roster for the Pirahnas.
The result: A squad with an average age of 22 composed of four former Maury players; eight ex-Beach stars; a Southeastern standout now at Old Dominion; a private school player; seven in the Virginia college ranks and three from the Carolinas.
Leading the pack is Maury High School graduate Kim Stewart, who flew in for her first practice Wednesday from New Orleans, where she's the head coach at Southeastern Louisiana University. Stewart, 23, played in the USISL last season with the Atlanta Magic.
``I've been waiting for a team around here,'' she said. ``I'm excited. It's a great chance for women to play after college and for kids to have female role models.''
The leading scorer for four seasons at Maury and two at Mercer University, Stewart will surely bring the Piranhas firepower and experience.
``I know most of the girls out here,'' Stewart said. ``I think we'll get it together.''
However, that may take some time, as Stewart's new teammate Kelley Martin knows.
Martin was instrumental in bringing varsity soccer to ODU, where she began the club team in 1992. The 20-year-old sweeper scored the Monarchs' first-ever goal and led the team in goals that season to earn second-team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors.
``I hope the community will welcome this with open arms,'' Martin said. ``We have a lot of rhythm and chemistry. It'll only build and work a lot better as we play together.''
So what about facing the Lady Roughriders after only two weeks of practice?
Sandy McQuerrie, a Maury and George Mason standout, says that the Piranhas are up for it.
``We have nothing to lose,'' said McQuerrie, who's a teacher at Little Creek Elementary. ``It might be a slow process. It'll take a lot of guts and hard work.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Kim Stewart, a former Mercer College and Maury High star, will lead
the attack.
by CNB