DATE: Tuesday, May 13, 1997                 TAG: 9705130523

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, STAFF WRITER

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   30 lines

NORFOLK ACADEMY KEEPS 15-YEAR WIN STREAK INTACT

Norfolk Academy's 15-year, 156-game win streak against Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools girls soccer teams remained intact Monday as Katie Rowen booted a 35-yard free kick passed Norfolk Christian goalkeeper Kristin Brown to seal a 3-2 victory in an overtime period delayed a month-and-a-half.

The teams, who played to a 2-2 tie on March 22, met Monday for a single 20-minute overtime. The first game was refereed by Virginia High School League officials, who did not know that the TCIS games go to overtime following a tie.

That forced the teams to reschedule just one day before the conference tournament begins.

``A tie's a tie,'' said Bulldogs coach Richard Peccie, who team secured the league's top seed with a 8-0 finish. ``That's the way it should have stood. I was pleased with the outcome back in March. But we weren't going to back down and were fortunate to come out on top.''

With about 45 seconds to play, Norfolk Academy's Clara Sims was tripped up outside the 45-yard line, setting up a Lizzy Rice free kick. Brown, who had five saves for Norfolk Christian, denied the goal with a leaping catch. Seconds later, Rice was fouled and Rowen sent the ball sailing at the goal.

``I was tying to focus on the shot,'' said Brown, who had only allowed four TCIS goals all season. ``I saw it at the last second. I didn't have my hands set up properly.''

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