THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510120132
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 34 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
WHAT GOALS could possibly be left for a team that is 23-0 this season and an astonishing 46-1 over a two-year period? How about a state championship.
The Manteo High School volleyball team has been near-perfect over the last two years. But the team has been eliminated from the 2A playoffs in the second round in both in 1993 and 1994. This year, head coach Stu Serine hopes to change all that as the Lady Redskins enter the first round of the playoffs Wednesday at home against the third-place team from the Eastern Plains Conference.
``2A is tough because you get thrown right into some team from the Capital Area or Mid-State Conference,'' Serine said. ``A lot of those girls are playing Junior Olympics and USVBA all year and it's a tough road.''
The difference in Manteo this year is the team's experience. The squad is anchored by four seniors - outside hitters Heather Daniels, and Samantha Buchanan, setter Leah Midgett, and middle blocker Evie Daniels. Junior hitter Amy Lane also has plenty of experience.
``Personnel-wise, we're as talented as any 2A school you'll see,'' Serine said.
The Lady Redskins clinched the regular season Northeastern Conference championship at 10-0, three games ahead of Edenton-Holmes. Manteo already has sewn up one of the two playoff spots from the conference.
The competition in the Albemarle area was not quite enough for the team, so the non-conference schedule was beefed up in the hopes of seeing various playoff contenders around the state. The Lady Redskins played Ravenscroft Academy in Raleigh; Wake Christian Academy; Greenville Rose, a 4A school; Washington, a 3A school; and Northside. They beat them all.
``The girls are starting to realize how talented they really are,'' Serine said. ``We've been working real hard on our weaknesses, like serving. ``They realize it's a mental thing. We may be to the point of overcoming that.''
Serine admits that the 23-0 record does add some pressure going into the playoffs.
``We have lost some games, so we know what it's like to lose,'' he said. ``But these girls have a lot of confidence, senior experience, and playing experience. They don't panic. They just keep plugging away. One of our goals at the start of the year was to win the state championship. We want to go because these girls deserve to be there.'' by CNB