THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 28, 1996 TAG: 9602280506
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
Handley rattled off eight unanswered points in the deciding game after losing its top player midway through the second for a 15-10, 14-16, 15-9 win over Nansemond River in a Group AA girls volleyball quarterfinal Tuesday night at Nansemond River.
The Judges (21-4) advance to their first state semifinal Saturday at Jefferson Forest High against the Jefferson Forest-Carroll County winner, while the Warriors finish their season at 22-2.
Handley came back from a 10-8 deficit in the first game thanks to four kills and three aces on 8-for-8 serving by Theresa DeFazio, and led 9-7 in the second before DeFazio left with a knee injury.
Nansemond River quickly took advantage, getting five points on serves from LaToya Crocker and two aces by Melissa Johnson. DeFazio returned after missing two points, but reinjured her knee and left for good.
``We saw (DeFazio) go out and we tried to take it as our advantage,'' Warriors coach Nancy Richey said. ``She had been their team leader and their main point of attack. She hurt us from the back row and up front, so I just said that they had some disadvantages now, and we needed to take advantage of them.''
In game three, both teams showed signs of jitters. Handley hit two serves out, while Nansemond River failed to get the ball in play three times to start the game.
``Definitely, it was nerves,'' Richey said. ``We were serving most of them long and that was adrenaline. I told them to relax, but you can't control adrenaline.''
The Warriors got two service points each from Crocker, Chrissy Mims and Liz Pearson to lead 9-7, but Courtney O'Donnell had three kills and served for three points, and Michelle Bertram added two aces to clinch it. by CNB