The James River girls opened Conference 37/38 play with a soccer win over Giles Monday night. The girls took a 7-3 victory in Springwood to advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinal round.
On Monday Morgan Williams of Giles scored six minutes into the game, giving Giles an early lead. This would not last long, as River’s Kendra Peery tied it back up, assisted by Kaitlyn McClung. McClung then scored off an assist by Megan Hill and it was 2-1 River with just 10 minutes gone.
Peery scored five minutes later followed by another McClung goal, this time assisted by Olivia Baker. Far from done, McClung then assisted a goal by Emily Bryan and scored another for herself to round out the scoring for the Knights in the first half. Mattie Vangelos of Giles scored with two minutes remaining in the half to cut River’s lead to 6-2.
In the second half the Spartans’ Emily Sontolla scored first, 13 minutes into the period, to make it 6-3. However, McClung responded with her fourth goal of the night, assisted by Kaitlyn Johnson, and that ended the scoring for the night. James River keeper Colleen Peery recorded seven saves in the win.
The Knights return to the pitch on Wednesday for the second round of the tournament. The game will be played on the Smith River Sports Complex in Martinsville at 7:30 p.m. and their opponent will be the winner of the Appomattox and Chatham first round match. The championship is Thursday at the Smith River Complex at 5:30 p.m., and it will be the first game of a doubleheader with the boys.
River ended the regular season on a high note last week, defeating Giles and Glenvar to finish the regular season.
The Knights won at Giles, 7-1, as McClung and Brook Ford had three goals each in the win. Megan Hill also had a goal and Ford and Kendra Peery had two assists each.
On Friday in Springwood the Knights beat Glenvar, 5-2.
The visitors scored in the first minute with Kelci Horner carrying through traffic for the unassisted finish shortly after the opening kickoff. Emma Butler, assisted by Megan Hill, opened the scoring for the Knights with 23 minutes left on the clock in the first half. Two minutes later Olivia Baker finished from a Kaitlyn Johnson assist to put the Knights ahead. Johnson scored with 10 minutes left in the half off an assist from McClung to round out the scoring for the half.
The second half started much like the first with a fast goal by Glenvar. However, like the first half, the early drive was all Glenvar could muster. Butler finished from an assist from McClung about 10 minutes into the half and Baker completed the scoring for the Knights with an assist from Hill.
Colleen Peery for the Knights and Chynna Carmicheal for Glenvar made 10 saves each in their respective goals.
