THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 29, 1996 TAG: 9602270109
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
The Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools girls volleyball programs continued to gain strength this year with a flood of young talent and improved play.
Norfolk Academy had to work a little harder for its fourth consecutive title and saw its 47-match win streak come to a halt during the regular season. Norfolk Collegiate finished second for the third year after two five-game matches against Norfolk Academy, one in the regular season and one in the championship match.
Katie Sherwood was the guiding light for Greenbrier Christian as it broke into the upper level of conference play, handing the Bulldogs their first defeat in a non-conference game before finishing fourth in the final standings. The sophomore nailed 84 percent of her serves, 81 percent of her hits and 44 percent of her kills. Her efforts earned her the honorary captain title on the All-TCIS volleyball team, as voted by the TCIS coaches.
Seniors Allison Williams (Nansemond-Suffolk Academy) and Jessica Hirsch (Norfolk Academy), juniors Elizabeth Swearingen (Norfolk Collegiate) and Stephanie Adams (Hampton Roads Academy) and sophomore Caroline Keenan (Peninsula Catholic) were selected to the first team.
Williams collected 55 kills, 42 digs, 22 saves and 12 blocks during the regular season. She had an 80 percentage success rate in serving.
Hirsch was a deadly server 82 percent of the time with 30 aces. She had an 84 percent attack rating with 57 kills, 80 assists and saved 69 percent of her dig attempts.
Swearingen had 89 blocks and led the Oaks in kills with 134.
In 13 matches, Keenan served with a 75 percent accuracy, including 31 aces.
The second team includes Jackie Johnson, a senior from Norfolk Academy; Lynn Merkel, a senior from Norfolk Christian; Karen Reina, a sophomore from Norfolk Collegiate; Katherine Julian, a junior from Walsingham; Kendra Robins, a junior from Norfolk Academy; Amanda Havens, a senior from Greenbrier and Melissa Williams, a junior from Walsingham.
Honorable mentions included: Katie Redmon, Dana Fowler of Cape Henry, Jessika Rodriguez and Courtney Kight of Cape Henry; Chrissy Forbes, Mary Smith and Michelle Phillips of Catholic; Michelle Hines of Greenbrier, Holli Kubicki and Katie Strong of Hampton Roads, Jaime Harris of Nansemond-Suffolk, Kristin Brown and Gretchen Cooper of Norfolk Christian, Melanie Sandford and Heather Waters of Norfolk Collegiate, Catherine Ware of Norfolk Academy, Emily Pauler of Peninsula Catholic and Tara Halkowich and Laurie Halkowich of Walsingham. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JAMI FRANKENBERRY
Front row, from left: Jessica Hirsch, Katie Sherwood, Allison
Williams. Back row: Caroline Keenan, Stephanie Adams, Elizabeth
Swearingen.
by CNB