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[Sonny Dearth]

Van accident prompts Tabb forfeit in tennis

Tabb High’s girls tennis team was involved in a minor van accident Thursday on its way to the state Group AA semifinals and will forfeit its match to Blacksburg.

The match was scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday against Blacksburg on Radford University’s courts.

The Tigers were on I-295 in the Richmond area when a multi-vehicle collision occurred, with a car colliding with one of the team mothers' vans. There were no serious injuries, just several cuts, bruises and bumps, according to Tabb athletic director Connie Minnick.

She said three players were treated and released to their parents at a Richmond-area hospital and that the Tigers made a "team decision" to return home.

"You don't know the next day how sore everybody is," Minnick said. "Just the trauma of that happening is enough to upset the kids. ... I think their safety and their peace of mind is also part of it."

Tabb won its first Region I title on the strength of first-year coach Gary Williams and the play of starters Sarah Haase, Sarah Rowe, Bay Rivers District champion Alex Jenssen, Malia Carpio, Carolyn Relton and Melanie Bahr.

Blacksburg will advance to the 9 a.m. final Saturday against the winner of Friday’s Handley-Graham match.

DAILY PRESS