THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 16, 1997 TAG: 9702160265
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA McLEROY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 32 lines
The Walsingham Trojans entered the Tidewater Conference of Independent School girls volleyball tournament with an unblemished record, and they kept it that way.
Walsingham (22-0) first eliminated Peninsula Catholic and Catholic and on Saturday afternoon outdueled Norfolk Collegiate 15-11, 15-9, 15-12 for the title.
The crowd at Norfolk Academy was treated to long volleys and hard-hitting kills by Walsingham's Katherine Julian and Collegiate's Elizabeth Swearingen.
``I think Walsingham really was an outstanding team,'' Collegiate coach Lenroy Campbell said. ``They controlled the match even when they were down.''
The Oaks (14-4) struggled at service early and often, giving up the final three sideouts in the first game to net serves.
Swearingen was slow to find her swing, but hit her stride in the third game. Her kills combined with the serving of Erin McElroy and Carol Baker and a renewed team effort put the Oaks in charge 10-3. But Julian stepped up and smashed five kills and two blocks in an 11-1 run that put the Trojans at match point. The 14th point played through six sideouts before Melissa Williams aced the final serve.
Williams, who had five kills, 27 assists, nine service points and three blocks in the championship match, earned the tournament's MVP Award. Walsingham's Julian and Stephanie Kokolis, Collegiate's McElroy and Karen Reina, Catholic's Michelle Phillips and Norfolk Christian's Kristin Brown were also named to the all-tournament team.