DATE: Thursday, November 13, 1997           TAG: 9711130697

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   48 lines

WITH 7 GOALS IN 3 TOURNAMENT GAMES, ROUNTREE CARRIES ON A COX TRADITION SHE'S THE GO-TO PLAYER AS THE FALCONS SEEK YET ANOTHER FIELD HOCKEY TROPHY.

Taylor Rountree picked a good time to fall into the mold of big-time scoring threat.

For years, the Cox field hockey team had had a go-to player or two to lead them to the state finals. Players like Heather Hale, Kirsty Hale, Kim Miller and Katie McDonald set numerous state scoring records as the Falcons won a national-record seven straight state championships.

But heading into this year, after graduating all but three starters, just who would take on that role was anybody's guess.

As of late, Rountree has laid claim to the job, scoring seven goals in three Eastern Region tournament games to put her team back in the hunt for the state title.

``She's become a real tiger in front of the cage,'' coach Nancy Fowlkes said. ``She's become a typical Cox go-to forward.''

Timing is everything, and Rountree said it took the regular season and two games in the Beach District tournament for the Falcons to get their timing down.

``I've just been the benefactor of it,'' said Rountree, a senior center forward who leads the eight-team Group AAA field in scoring with 22 goals and has accepted a full scholarship to Kent State. ``The sophomores and juniors have really stepped it up at the right time. But I don't think we've ever worked so hard to get to this point.''

Beginning in 1994, Cox outscored opponents by a remarkable 240-3 margin in a streak that ended with a loss to Kempsville in last year's state title game. This season, the Falcons have a 61-9 scoring edge going into today's 2:30 p.m. quarterfinal against North Stafford. But those numbers were padded by an 18-0 scoring differential in the region tournament.

None of that matters to Rountree and the six other seniors on the team. Regaining the state title is all they care about.

``Last year hurt a lot, being on the team that didn't win a state title,'' Rountree said. ``It took a long time for us to get over it. And with the district being more even this year, we kind of struggled with it.

``I guess it was the (5-0) win over Kellam in the district final that we realized it was time to get our act together. Now we think we have what it takes to get it back.''

Rountree can take plenty of credit. She's been on fire in front of the cage.

``I just figured it was time to get down to it,'' she said. ``This is what we've been playing for.''

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