The #4 ranked Avery women's soccer team (15-1-2) is hosting #5 Thomas Jefferson Academy (15-2-0) in a matchup of top-10 ranked 1A teams in the state. Tonight's winner takes home a Western Highlands Conference championship, and the Lady Vikings are honoring its pair of seniors, Hayden Blackburn and Elyse Perry.Ball has kicked off and the match is underway!
Update #1: The match is scoreless at MacDonald Stadium midway through the first half. A beautiful save by Mercedes Bentley on a rocket shot to goal has preserved the scoreless tie. If the match happens to end tonight in a tie, the Lady Vikings will take home the conference title due to the Hendersonville Lady Bearcats defeating TJCA earlier this week.
Update #2: GOAL AVERY! Mary Chesnut Smith on a direct kick from the 30-yard line goes through the extended arms of TJCA goalie Murphy D'Oyen and into the back of the net in the 38th minute of play, giving the Lady Vikings a 1-0 lead.
Update #3: Halftime at MacDonald Stadium and Avery leads 1-0 on the Mary Chesnut Smith goal. An exciting second half coming up!
Update #4: GOAL TJCA! Thomas Jefferson scores the tying goal by Victoria Bennett off a corner kick. Match tied 1-1 in the 54th minute of play. New ball game.
Update #5: GOAL AVERY in the 56th minute. Off a foul by TJCA and direct kick by Smith, Emily Banner spins on a ball from about 20 yards out and pelts a rocket shot into the back of the goal with the left foot to put Avery back out in front 2-1!
Update #6: 13 minutes left in the match and Avery is holding to its one-goal lead. Both teams have had a couple of scoring chances but the keepers have been strong.
Update #7: Intense game out on the pitch. A pair of yellow cards issued in the last eight minutes (one AHS player, one for TJCA coach). Two minutes left to play and Avery tries to hang on to its one-goal edge!
Update #8: It's over from MacDonald Stadium. AVERY WINS 2-1 to clinch the Western Highlands Conference championship! Congratulations to the players, head coach Tom Evaul, and the Viking coaching staff on a great season, hanging a banner for the Big Red soccer program.
Avery as a conference champion should host a first-round game in the 1A state soccer playoffs beginning next Wednesday. Avery concludes its regular season at 16-1-2 overall.
That's it from Big Red Country. Thanks for reading!
