THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996 TAG: 9602250235
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Nansemond River regrouped after a slow start and held off a fiesty Franklin team 5-15, 15-5, 15-6 to win its second straight Group AA, Region I girls volleyball championship Saturday night at Nansemond River.
The Warriors, who beat Nottoway 15-6, 15-6 in an afternoon semifinal, will host the Region II runner-up in a state quarterfinal Tuesday at 7 p.m., while the Broncos, 15-3, 15-9 winners over Matoaca in the other semifinal, will visit the Region II champion.
In the championship, Franklin (10-12) jumped on Nansemond River (22-1) early, winning the first seven points of the first game on serves by Tina Denvon. The Broncos never let up, building a 13-1 lead before Denvon served out the game.
Warriors coach Nancy Richey then took her team to the lockerroom during intermission, rather than to the bench. ``She told us they wanted it and we didn't, and if we wanted to win, we have to have that killer instinct,'' Nansemond River's Kari Harrell said. ``Coach Richey always has a way of making us think and getting us motivated.''
The Warriors, who beat Franklin 15-6, 15-5 for the Bay Rivers District title on Wednesday, came out of the lockerroom and took control, winning 11 unanswered points on serves by five different players. Harrell served two aces and had two kills, while Liz Pearson served for five points.
``We came out fired up for that second game,'' Richey said. ``I could see that we were not going to be beaten. There was no doubt in my mind.''
In the deciding game, Nansemond River kept the momentum. Franklin pulled within three at 7-4, but Wakeelah Shabazz registered two kills and Harrell and Joycelyn Williams added one each as Harrell served the final three points.
``Volleyball is a game of momentum,'' Broncos coach Marilyn Dull said. ``We lost it early in the second game and didn't get it back.''
Harrell and Franklin's Jennifer West finished the match with seven kills each, while Pearson served for 11 points.
In the first semifinal, the Warriors scored the first five points of the opening game with serves by Pearson and never trailed Nottoway (5-8). Harrell and LaToya Crocker had four kills each in the match, while DeDe Duffy served for eight points, including two aces, and Pearson for nine.
In the second semifinal, Franklin got 10 kills from West to cruise past Matoaca (5-3). Denvon served for six points as the Broncos built a 14-2 lead in the opening game.
In game two, Franklin erased an early three-point deficit when Denvon and West combined to serve for eight points. West finished the match 12 for 13 serving for points. by CNB