The Avery Lady Vikings soccer team continued its winning ways in a decisive 4-0 shutout win over the Lady Cougars of Mountain Heritage High School on Wednesday in Burnsville.Avery, without the services of Hayley Pyatte and Elyse Perry for the game, got off to a slow start as it was unable to score through the first 40 minutes of action on the wet playing surface at Briggs Stadium. "We were making the Lady Cougars look good. We were reacting and not being proactive. We were being beaten to the ball and the girls were not connecting on their passes or connecting with the other team," as one Lady Vikings coach described the half.
The Lady Vikings appeared to break through for a score in the final five minutes of the first half, but the goal was disallowed after a handball ruling was made. The first half concluded with the teams in a scoreless tie.
The Big Red defense was bolstered in the half and througout the duration of the contest by the strong play of keeper Cailan Calloway as well as an impressive effort from the defensive back line of sweeper Hayden Blackburn and outside backs Kasey Brown and Megan Robbins. The defense continued to hold the Lady Cougars at bay and preserve the deadlock at intermission.
It was a case of "different half, different story" as the second stanza ensued. At the 47 minute mark, talented Lady Viking sophomore Mary Chesnut Smith made her presence felt as she received a pass from senior Rachel Buchanan and squeezed a shot by the Lady Cougars keeper to put the Big Red on the board.
Avery struck again for goals in the 55th and 63rd minutes, respectively to boost its lead to 3-0. Lady Vikings stopper Katelynn Eudy tallied both goals, one off a knee by Eudy following a Smith corner kick, the second also off a corner but with help from Melinda Eggers who settled the ball down to enable Eudy to put a foot to it.
The Lady Vikings registered its final score of the night as Buchanan sent another pass to Smith, who then eluded the defense and netted a left-footed rocket past the keeper to put the finishing touches on a 4-0 win.
The victory improves the Big Red to 6-2-1 overall, with a 3-1 mark in Western Highlands Conference play. Avery returns to action next week with a trio of matches, hosting Mitchell on Monday and Owen on Wednesday, with a trip to take on Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy squeezed in between on Tuesday evening.
