The Avery Lady Vikings soccer team showed no ill effects from lack of practice time as a full squad, blitzing the Chase Lady Trojans 8-0 in Forest City Wednesday night.Avery got on the board early and often in its non-conference affair. Avery scored in the first minute with Mary Chesnut Smith sending the ball through to forward Melinda Eggers who scored for her second goal of the season, as she also scored the first goal in the first game.
In the 8th minute, Smith got her second assist in the game when Katelynn Eudy scored from about 20 yards out, off a throw-in by Smith. Just three minutes later Elyse Perry connected with Emily Banner who scored the third goal of the game.
Just 12 minutes later , Mary Chesnut earned her third assist when she crossed the ball from the sideline to the face of the goal where Arden Stanley got her head on the ball to make the score 4-0. Avery tallied a fifth goal for the half in the 28th minute as Banner assisted Perry on a score, reversing roles from an earlier score.
Avery scored a sixth goal in the half, but the tally was called back due to an offsides call. Chase struggled the entire half to even get the ball into Avery's defensive half of the field, managing to do so on only a couple of occasions despite Coach Tom Evaul experimenting with various combinations of players and trying the newer players out in a variety of positions.
The second half began with a scare for the Chase fans as a strong shot by Smith took out the keeper. Perry was able to get to the loose ball and score for a 6-0 lead before the keeper recovered. She was aided off the field but did return later in the game.
Seven minutes later in the 50th minute, Banner assisted Smith on the seventh goal of the game. Smith returned the favor in the 60th minute, assisting Banner for the eighth and final Avery goal of the evening.
Although Coach Evaul had substituted freely throughout the evening, he had kept the defense solid. After the eighth goal, the coach took out most of the starters and those who stayed in played different positions.
Junior net minder Mercedes Bentley earned her first career high school shutout, earning the clean sheet with a pair of saves. In all, Chase had only four shots on goal while Avery took 30.
Six different Lady Vikings scored on the evening, with senior Elyse Perry and junior Emily Banner each scoring a pair. Juniors Melinda Eggers, Katelynn Eudy and Mary Chesnut Smith each scored one goal as did sophomore Arden Stanley. Smith also provided helpers on five goals, Banner finished with two assists and Perry with one.
Coach Evaul expressed happiness with seeing so many different players scoring, but still would like to see better shots taken and stronger finishes overall. The defense needs to work on their communication and their touches on the ball, according to the coach.
Although the team has had no practices on a full-field, and only a very few outside at all, Coach Evaul is very pleased with the progress the team has made. Until the first game, the whole team had never been together for a practice because 6 starters, 4 basketball players and 2 cheerleaders , were involved with basketball until two days before the first soccer game.
Avery returns to the pitch on Friday afternoon with a match in Miller's Creek against West Wilkes.
