DATE: Thursday, October 16, 1997            TAG: 9710150196

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 10   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAY LIDINGTON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   64 lines

MAURY PINS REGIONAL HOPES ON PRICE

Maury's Brett Price didn't spend much time dwelling on her loss in the Eastern District girls tennis tournament singles final. There were other things to occupy her mind.

In practical terms, last week's match meant little. Before the first ball was served, both she and Beth Branton of Churchland, who beat Price 6-2, 6-3, had advanced to the Eastern Region tournament, which begins Oct. 20.

At least some of Price's thoughts are with her team. The Commodores, by virtue of their first-place finish in the district this season with a 7-0 record, clinched a berth in the region team tournament by defeating Granby in the last match of the season three weeks ago.

They were to host Denbigh at home Tuesday.

``I'm hoping good things for us as a team, but I don't know how far I'll go in singles,'' Price said.

She also has family concerns. Her sister, Whitney, and Whitney's doubles partner, Gillian Field, also advanced to regionals by making the finals of the district tournament.

Then there was the matter of her opponent in the region singles draw. Brett Price, the No. 2 seed from the Eastern District, will face the No. 1 seed from the Beach District, two-time state champ Mily Kannarkat of First Colonial - a tough draw.

``Oh. . . Mily,'' Price said with a half-joking tone of dread about her voice, counting the days until her next match. ``It's not enough time to do anything drastic to your game. I'll just have to try my best.''

Price's game has meant quite a bit to Maury this year. Playing as the Commodores' No. 1 singles player for the last two-thirds of the season, she was undefeated in district matches. Her ascension to the No. 1 spot was a key after former No. 1 player Amy Scholsohn decided not to play tennis this year.

Maury has a balanced attack and is about equal in ability throughout the 1-6 positions.

In the region tournament, the Commodores were looking to end a recent trend of early ousters. Maury lost to Great Bridge in the first round of the regionals last year and Cox two years ago.

With that in mind, coach Mike Pugh scheduled Cox, Norfolk Collegiate, Kempsville and Great Bridge in an effort to get his team used to tough competition. The Commodores lost to them all.

``The kids know what they're getting themselves into,'' Pugh said of his team. ``That's why I scheduled it this way, so when they do get in they're not surprised.''

COMETS DOUBLES TEAM HURTING: Granby's doubles team will hobble into the regional tournament Monday.

Liz Hillard, half of the school's doubles team with her sister Maria Hillard, was forced to retire from the district championship with an injured ankle.

They'll travel to Menchville, the No. 1 seed from the Peninsula District, for the regional tournament.

Granby coach Bill Lloyd said he hoped Hillard would be healed enough to play in the regional. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JAY LIDINGTON

Maury's Krystal Azoury, left, congratulates Churchland's Beth

Branton, who won their semi-final match at the district tournament.

Branton also beat Brett Price in the finals. KEYWORDS: EASTERN DISTRICT GIRLS TENNIS

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