ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 23, 1996 TAG: 9602230026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ASHLAND
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
``We requested to be on the same hall, just because we always share clothes,'' Aimee said.
But while the three rooms that separate them actually have them living farther apart than ever before, the basketball and soccer stars never have been closer.
``I think I've gotten closer to her,'' Allison said, ``because when I was at home and I had a problem, I'd usually talk to my mom and now, since I can't run the phone bill up, I usually run down to Aimee's room.''
The Beightols have been running all over the place since they entered college in August. First came soccer season, with an Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship, first-team all-conference honors for Aimee, and a berth in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals in Atlanta. ``Soccer was a blast,'' Allison said.
By the time they got back from Atlanta, basketball practice already had begun. They didn't have time to take a breath, but they didn't seem to need it. Both made the all-tournament team in R-MC's tip-off classic. Allison, however, wasn't feeling very successful off the court.
She made the trip down the hall often during her first semester. A self-proclaimed ``homebody,'' Allison's mind was troubled with thoughts of home and a long-distance relationship she cherishes.
Allison has been dating Matt Matheny, a freshman guard at VMI and her former Cave Spring classmate, for about two years. It bothered her that she couldn't be with him to help him through the struggles of being a fourth-classman at the Lexington school.
``It was a major change for me to go months without seeing him every day,'' she said. ``I mean, I know it probably shouldn't, but when he's not doing well, it affects me. It had a major effect on the way I was.''
By Christmas break, Aimee was on her way to freshman of the year and All-ODAC first team basketball honors. She says she ``couldn't ask for anything better'' out of her first college experience. After meeting most of the women on the soccer team during high school trips, she was sold on R-MC. Her decision was a snap when only UNC-Asheville offered her a Division I scholarship. ``I've loved every minute of it,'' she said.
Allison, meanwhile, was off the team. When the Yellow Jackets were in California for two games, Allison was home in Roanoke thinking about her life, her future and her dreams.
``I wasn't sure I was going to be here even second semester,'' Allison said. ``I wasn't happy with my grades first semester. I took that time to decide what I wanted to do - whether I wanted to concentrate on grades or continue to play basketball.''
Her parents, Judy and Bob, asked her to do whatever would make her happy. She decided to look into a studio art major with a concentration on painting. She also decided she'd stick with basketball, but first, she had to ask her teammates if they would have her back. ``I was really nervous,'' she said.
``We all wanted her back so bad, no one thought about it,'' said senior Jenn Kohler, the ODAC player of the year.
``It was hard, but it's a lot better now and I can say I will stay here,'' said Allison, who serves in a prominent reserve role and likes it best when she plays point guard and Aimee's at shooting guard.
They have strong mental connections to go with their physical connections in sports. When asked of her personal hopes and wishes, Aimee thought of Allison. ``I hope that she'll be happy,'' she said. ``She's always the one that people can talk to. She thinks she's so insecure and everything, but I don't know, she's a lot more than she thinks she is. She's never, ever been the one to get the accolades. If I was a coach or someone looking at her, I would put her down for first team or second team all-conference every time.
``She doesn't always think she makes a big impact, but she does.''
Other than Aimee, no one liked hearing Allison was staying more than their coach, Carroll LaHaye. She said it was a ``coup'' that she lured the Beightols away from her friend, Roanoke College coach Susan Dunagan.
``I really wanted both of them,'' LaHaye said. ``Both are quick. Allison concentrates a lot on finding the open player and does an outstanding job on defense. Aimee's a scorer, a slasher. She finds ways to score.''
The Beightol twins are just as happy as LaHaye that they're at Randolph-Macon. Allison's first choice actually was Roanoke. For some reason, though, she wasn't accepted. Turns out it wasn't such a bad thing, after all.
Being apart ``would have made it even harder for me,'' Allison said. ``I'm just glad I decided to come here because having Aimee helps me. I'm used to her being there all the time, anyway.''
Since Aimee and Allison have been at Randolph-Macon, the women's soccer and basketball teams have compiled a combined record of 43-2-2. The soccer team rose as high as No.2 in the nation, and the basketball squad has been a fixture at No.1 in the NCAA South Region poll. Perhaps their assignment to a dorm named ``Starr'' wasn't by chance.
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: WAYNE DEEL/Staff. Aimee (left) and Allison Beightol haveby CNBhelped their soccer and basketball teams at Randolph-Macon compile a
combined 43-2-2 record and attain national recognition in their
first year at the school.