THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 24, 1996 TAG: 9604240569
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Cox found out that more isn't necessarily better with a 1-0 Beach District boys soccer victory over Kempsville Tuesday.
The third-ranked Falcons won despite a 14-9 Chiefs shooting advantage and an arguably better ball-control attack by No. 1 Kempsville.
But no matter what the differences, Gordon Peters' unassisted goal seven minutes into play was all the Falcons needed to stay in a Beach race that has First Colonial leading with no losses and three teams with one loss.
``This keeps us in it,'' said Cox coach Jim Snodgrass, whose team lost to Kellam last week.
Early in the game, both teams were having trouble figuring out how to compensate for a crosswind blowing at gale force. But Peters finally managed to control a loose ball to the left side of the Kempsville box and unloaded a blistering shot from about 15 yards out that went off the fingertips of Chiefs keeper Brian Richards.
``The ball was just swirling around in the middle and I cranked it loose towards the goal,'' Peters said.
From there the Cox defense took over, swarming a quality Kempsville front line that consists of two national age group pool players in Adam Schultz and Kevin Knott.
``I think we had the better shots in the second half,'' Schultz said. ``But we got frustrated towards the end and didn't keep composed in the final third (of the field).''
That area was where Cox defenders Jamie Hart, Amir Nekoumand, Chris Frech, David Lowery and Tra Calisch managed to get a foot, body or head in the way when Kempsville (6-1-1, 3-1 Beach) set up to shoot.
And when the Chiefs did get off a shot, most of them were right at Falcons keeper Colin Kibler.
``Some say I play better in the air and teams will have to watch for that (opportunity),'' said Kibler, who had eight saves. ``But as long as they want to play them to me, I'm fine with that.''
Cox (6-2, 3-1) appeared to go up 2-0 with 22 minutes left in the first half when Richards mishandled a corner kick from Hart that was eventually kneed in by Lowery. But an official ruled the ball had touched a bar that holds the football uprights, resulting in a dead ball. by CNB