Avery picked up a pair of wins on Monday evening in soccer and volleyball action.
The Lady Vikings volleyball team won its opening contest against the Patton Lady Panthers. The junior varsity squad set the pace with a straight set victory, then the varsity team won its best 3 of 5 match in four games. Avery used a late run to hold off Patton in game one by a 25-20 score, then appeared poised to take command of the match with the first six points in the second game. Patton rallied back to tie the match at 1 game each, however, with a 25-23 win.
Avery broke open a close third game midway through the contest, turning a slim 11-9 advantage into a 19-11 lead with the help of strong kills by senior hitter Katie Ellis and strong service games by the pair of Sara Singleton and Savannah Dellinger. Avery rode the momentum to a 25-17 win to regain the lead in the match two games to one.
The Lady Vikings seized early control of the fourth and deciding game of the match, scoring 6 of the first 7 points as Dellinger continued a hot service game. Avery built its lead to 10-1 over Patton. The Lady Panthers cut the deficit to 12-6 later in the game, but the Big Red kept the pressure on the visiting Panthers squad to lead 19-11. The Vikings limited errors on the defensive side and used good ball placement and teamwork in upending the Panthers 25-17 to take the match victory.
In men's soccer action held at Lees-McRae College, the Vikings soccer team started its season on a positive note, shutting out the Cardinals of East Wilkes High School by a final score of 4-0. J.C. Steinbaugh put the Big Red on the scoreboard with an early goal, the first of two scored in the half. Kyle Griewisch added a goal late in the half to stake Avery to a 3-0 halftime advantage. Griewisch scored the only goal of the second half to provide the final margin as the Avery defense smothered its fellow 1A competitor from Ronda, NC. Morgan Bounds returned to goal after sitting out Thursday's scrimmage and shut out the Cardinals offense on the night.
The soccer team will travel to Jefferson on Wednesday to take on Ashe County. The volleyball team will return to action on Thursday, traveling to take on Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy.
