DATE: Thursday, October 23, 1997            TAG: 9710230730

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   46 lines

KANNARKAT WINS 4TH SINGLES, DOUBLES TITLES SHE BECOMES THE WINNINGEST PLAYER IN EAST REGION HISTORY.

Mily Kannarkat became the winningest player in Eastern Region history Wednesday at Owl Creek Municipal Tennis Center.

The First Colonial senior captured her fourth consecutive championship in singles competition and followed with her fourth-straight doubles title.

Kannarkat teamed with Becky Schmidt for the last two doubles victories - winning her freshman and sophomore years with Anne Crenshaw.

Ironically, Kannarkat bettered the singles record of three-straight held by Patriots coach Laurie Shiflet-Hackboth and tied her coach's mark of four-consecutive doubles titles. Shiflet-Hackboth played for First Colonial from 1983-86.

``I hadn't thought about doing this until last year, when I was talking with (Shiflet-Hackboth),'' Kannarkat said. ``That's when I started telling my parents that I wanted to about see my name in there four times.''

Kannarkat and Schmidt defeated the Great Bridge team of Gina Black and Elizabeth Cleavenger 6-4, 6-0 to take the doubles title, while Kannarkat beat Kristin Moran of Cox 6-1, 6-2 in singles.

Moran and the Wildcats' duo still advance to Group AAA singles competition Nov. 7-8 at Osbourne High in Manasas.

Kannarkat hopes to finally get a win in doubles there. With Crenshaw, she made it to the finals twice, but she and Schmidt lost in the quarters last year.

``This is our year,'' said Schmidt, who served well against the more-balanced Great Bridge team but opted to get involved in only a few volleys. ``We'll have to prepare better and get more strategies if we want to do better.''

Kannarkat won't have that problem in the singles competition, where she will be out to win her third title in four years. Her only loss in 75 matches came in the state tournament two years ago while playing with an injured shoulder.

``I want to go out with a bang,'' she said. ``Hopefully I'll get another state title, and I'd love my first one in doubles.'' ILLUSTRATION: FILE PHOTO/The Virginian-Pilot

Mily Kannarkat is looking to win her third singles title in four

years at the Group AAA state tennis tournament this season.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu