The Avery Lady Vikings opened up its home schedule with a match against the rival Watauga Pioneers. In JV action, Watauga took two straight games by scores of 25-21 and 25-16.In game one of the varsity match, the contest was close as Watauga held a slim 10-9 advantage. The Lady Pioneers scored nine straight points against the Lady Vikings to take a 19-10 lead and went on to take a 25-11 win.
The second set in the match was close during the early portion much like its predecessor, as Avery trailed by a narrow
In the final game of the match, Watauga scored 12 of the game’s first 16 points to take a 25-11game and straight set victory.
“The only reason I schedule Watauga is to make us better,” Avery head volleyball coach Kim Hayes said after the match. “They are a strong 4A team, the best team we will play all season.”
On Thursday the Lady Vikings traveled to Swannanoa to open conference play against the Owen Warlassies. The Lady Viking JVs lost in straight sets to the Warlassies JV squad prior to the varsity match.
The Lady Vikings got off to a slow start against the Owen squad, losing the first game by a 25-15 final score. The Big Red responded in the second set to come-from-behind and tightened the affair. The Warlassies hung on, however, to capture the second set by a narrow 25-22 margin.
Avery continued to battle in the third game to force a fourth set in the match. A talented Owen team held back the Viking charge to take the third and deciding set by a 25-21 final score.
“The team is coming around. We are getting better each game we play,” Coach Hayes said following the match. “We watched film the day before this game and really focused on our defense, and I saw great improvement. We had opportunities to win the second and third sets and just couldn't finish. In the second set we were down 7-18 and fought our way back and only lost by three points. We had the momentum the whole third game and again couldn't finish.”
Cassie Bumgarner had 11 assists for the Lady Vikings in the Owen match. Megan Tennant added five blocks and three kills, while Savannah Dellinger had 11 digs and three kills and Megan Robbins had five kills.
The Lady Vikings will play a pair of home matches this week, hosting
