THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 8, 1996 TAG: 9606080301
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 64 lines
The Hampton Roads Mariners' bench saved the day Friday.
Dustin Swinehart entered the game and scored almost immediately, breaking a 1-1 second-half deadlock with the South Carolina Shamrocks, and Danny Creech came off the bench to add the final goal as the Mariners beat the Select League leaders 4-1 at First Colonial High School.
Unfortunately for the Mariners, who tied a franchise record with their sixth consecutive victory, the game does not count in the USISL standings. Although the game originally was scheduled as a league contest, the Shamrocks' new general manager opted not to honor the agreement. Therefore, at least for now, the game is in the books as an exhibition.
The Mariners (7-2, 3-1) struck first when Mark Waite, who has scored in each of Hampton Roads' last five games, volleyed a free kick past keeper Mike Compisi 30 minutes into the game.
South Carolina (9-2, 6-2) responded as Jamie Chantler smashed a midfield blast into the net.
The tie held until Swinehart's second-half goal. Hampton Roads dominated the rest of the game.
South Carolina coach Pete Peterson was disheartened by the Shamrocks' lackluster play.
``The guys had no passion in their eyes,'' he said. ``It's just an attitude. I don't know if our guys took this game as an exhibition, but we had no life, no love.''
The Mariners, on the other hand, had fire in their eyes. Once they took the lead, they never looked back.
``In the first half we started sluggishly,'' said keeper Matt Olson, who had seven saves. ``Our team seems to be like an engine: Once rolling, they really get going.''
Coach Shawn McDonald altered his attack in the second half and the Mariners immediately took command.
``They did a very good job adjusting, looking to play the ball early and get over the top,'' he said. ``You kind of want them to do that early, but they took the coaching well.''
After bouncing a shot off the post and kicking the rebound wide, the Mariners settled into a solid, productive attack.
Swinehart took a pass from Lang Wedemeyer and overtook Compisi for his first goal as a Mariner.
Six minutes later, Jesse Marsch cracked a shot from the left to give Hampton Roads room to relax. Marsch had missed three weeks while completing his studies at Princeton.
With less than seven minutes remaining, Creech, who had entered the game in the final 20 minutes, smashed a free kick into the back of the net for the final score.
``These guys are dying to get in,'' McDonald said. ``They're great guys. All of our team is phenomenal right now.''
Hampton Roads travels to Washington for a game at 7:30 tonight.
South Carolina 1 0 - 1
Hampton Roads 1 3 - 4
Goals: HR-Waite, Swinehart, Creech, Marsch; SC-Chantler. Assists: HR-Cann, Wedemeyer, Wescott. ILLUSTRATION: HUY NGUYEN\The Virginian-Pilot
The Mariners' Nate Houser, left, gets in the way, leaving Chad
Canthers plenty to kick about in Friday night's exhibition game. by CNB