THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9511010176
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: SUN
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
THE NANSEMOND RIVER field hockey team knows that being the No. 1 seed in the Bay Rivers District tournament doesn't guarantee them a championship. The Warriors learned that first-hand last year.
After winning the regular season title and earning the tournament's top seed, Nansemond River was upended by No. 4 Poquoson 1-0 in the opening round.
``That reinforced the idea that the top team isn't going to walk through the tournament,'' Nansemond River coach Bucky Payton said. ``A team won't lay down and die just because you're the No. 1 seed.''
Today at Bruton, No. 1 Nansemond River (8-2) hopes to avoid a repeat performance when it faces fourth-seeded Lakeland (5-5) at 1 p.m. No. 2 York (7-2-1) will play third-seeded Bruton (5-3-2) at 3. The winners meet Saturday at Bruton at 2 p.m. for the championship.
``Any time Nansemond River and Lakeland hook up in any sport, it's cause for motivation,'' Payton said. ``It'll be a hard-fought, tough game.''
Said Warrior senior Katie Sklar, ``Lakeland brings out the best in us, so that'll help.''
Lakeland shouldn't need much motivation. The Cavaliers have never beaten Nansemond River and lost to the Warriors 3-0 and 3-1 this season. They are also in the district tournament for the first time.
``We were ecstatic,'' coach Sue Ardelji said of the Cavaliers' 2-0 win over Poquoson on Thursday that broke the teams' tie for fourth place. ``We've worked for this forever. We'll have to calm down, not be nervous and play hockey.''
Jitters have prevented Lakeland from playing well against Nansemond River, according to Ardelji.
``Our problem against them is that we psyche ourselves out,'' she said. ``It's nerves. We need to get our heads straight and have confidence in ourselves.''
Payton is wary of a hungry Cavalier team.
``Lakeland is probably saying, `The pressure's not on us,' '' he said. ``If they're going to win one, this would be the one.''
Lakeland and Nansemond River each have nine seniors and are counting on them for leadership.
The Warriors are led by Kari Harrell, the district's all-time leading scorer with 72 goals. The senior has scored 19 goals this season, breaking her own single-season record. She's joined by Heather Behrends, who tied the single-season assist record with 10 this year and goalie Carrie Morgan, whose save percentage in Bay Rivers games is over .900.
``When you've been together as long as they have, you know each other,'' Payton said. ``They feel the pressure a little more this year, too. They know they can't come back next year and try it again.''
The Cavaliers count on Crystal McCully and Sheila Byrum to do the scoring. McCully leads the team with 10 goals, while Byrum accounted for Lakeland's only scores in the win over Poquoson last week. The Cavaliers also have a strong goalie in Jenny Frierdick, who recorded 13 saves in the teams' last meeting.
``We've had the same players working for this,'' Ardelji said. ``Eight of them have played together since eighth grade and have been playing varsity for four years.''
Both coaches agreed that any of the four teams has a good chance of winning the tournament.
``The district is so wide open,'' Ardelji said. ``Nansemond River is first skill-wise, but each team has something going for it. Anybody could walk away with it.''
``We would like to think that we should win it, but it wouldn't surprise anyone if we didn't,'' Payton said. ``York is truly talented and can give anybody they play trouble, including us. The tournament being at Bruton gives Bruton an edge.''
Said Harrell, ``We've already lost to Bruton and York, so if we don't come together for this we won't win.''
The winner could also determine which team goes to the state four-team invitational tournament in Warrenton Nov. 11. Western Albemarle and Fauquier already have been invited. One team will be chosen from the Battlefield District and one from the Bay Rivers.
Either the regular season or tournament champion will be selected from the Bay Rivers, according to Payton.
``Our hope is that both of the teams are the same - us,'' he said. ``That is kind of motivation for us.'' ILLUSTRATION: BAY RIVERS FIELD HOCKEY
Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Nansemond River's Sarah Meinertzhagen, right, battles for the ball
against a York player.
by CNB