The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, October 8, 1995                TAG: 9510050218
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST           PAGE: 38   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT 
DATELINE: CAMDEN                             LENGTH: Short :   46 lines

CAMDEN COUNTY LOOKING BEYOND THE CONFERENCE THE LADY BRUINS HAVE ONE MATCH REMAINING, ON OCT. 12, THEN THE 1A PLAYOFFS BEGIN.

With an undefeated conference record, the Camden County High School volleyball team has already clinched the Albemarle Conference championship and is looking for bigger things.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Dianne Overton, the Lady Bruins were 11-4 overall and 7-0 in the conference this past week, including a 3-0 win over Williamston on Tuesday.

Camden still has one conference match with Northampton East remaining on Oct. 12. Then the 1A playoffs begin. The Lady Bruins are already guaranteed a home playoff match against the fifth-seeded team from the Tobacco Belt Conference on Oct. 18.

Most of Camden's competition this year has come outside the conference.

``Manteo was the hardest competition (Camden lost twice to the Lady Redskins),'' Overton said. ``The second time we played them it went five games. They ended up beating us 15-12 in the fifth game. We also won two matches against Northeastern.''

The team is built around a core of players back from last year's final four team. Returners include seniors Holly Meads and Joni Jaycox; juniors Kristi Spencer, Mindy Meiggs and Kelly Ward; and sophomores Stacey Thornton, Connie Spellman and Brittina Griffin.

``I take the eight and mix them up,'' Overton said. ``I feel like I can use any six of the eight and they can play with anybody.''

That kind of depth has proven to be important to Camden, which lost its top setter, Holly Meads, to an ankle injury two weeks ago.

``We adapted real well. I was real pleased with the adjustments that were made and we've played well since then,'' Overton said. ``It maybe wasn't all that bad for them since they found out they could do it without Holly.

``Mentally, they had something to overcome. But they found out they could do it without her and played some super volleyball,'' Overton added. ``There were times when they depended on her and didn't need to, which gives me a good sign for next year.'' by CNB