Last week, the Lady Huskies tennis team traveled to North Surry for a MVAC match with the lowest ranked MVAC team. The Greyhounds, who are still seeking their first victory in conference play, posed little threat to the Huskies as Ashe claimed a 8-1 victory over the Greyhounds. However, the main feat of the match was that the Huskies are tied with Surry Central for first place in the conference after last week’s conference action.

Ashe locked up the leader board with a routine match at North Surry. Ashe came away with an 8-1 victory over the Greyhounds, with a different line up than what the Huskies normally run.

“We played a different line up to give two of our players a little rest due to minor injuries,” explained Huskies head coach, Vickie Herman. “I was pleased with Allie (Weaver) and Sierra’s (Wilson) play, they did well.”

Ashe nearly swept the Greyhounds in singles winning with a combined total of 66 games to 22, with Ivey Tant blanking her opponent winning 6-0 6-0. Courntey Bowers nearly shut out her opponent in her 6-1 6-0 victory, and then Ariel Farmer won 6-1 6-2 to round out Ashe’s top three seeds. In the four, five, and six seeds, Ashe continued their dominance, winning two of the three spots. Lizzie Hanes claimed a 6-3 6-0 victory at the fourth seed and then Allie Weaver stepped up to the top six seeds to win her match 6-1 6-2. Ashe’s only loss in the match came at the six seed. Sierra Wilson, in her first action in the top six seeds as a Husky, only being a freshman, lost a tough match to Audry Wallace from North Surry. Wilson lost the first set 6-2, but then battled back in the second set and narrowly lost 6-4 in a close set.

In doubles, the Huskies swept the Greyhounds winning all three matches.

According to Coach Vickie Herman, the Huskies tennis program got what could be a favor from the Wilkes Central team when Wilkes Central defeated Surry Central last week. Surry Central is Ashe’s only loss in conference play. With the victory by Wilkes Central, Ashe and Surry Central are tied for first with one conference loss each, as Ashe defeated Wilkes Central in the first round of play.

Shaping up down the season, being in the early portion of the second round of conference play, the Huskies have to face both Wilkes Central and Surry Central in coming weeks. Providing a fantastic finish by the Huskies, winning out the conference schedule, Ashe will be named Regular Season Champions for the MVAC and earn the number one seed heading into the Dual Team Playoffs.

However, with both Surry Central and Wilkes Central being tough opponents, the Huskies could easily wind up in a tie for second, and even third place. If the Huskies can defeat Surry Central, but then lose to Wilkes Central, then there will be a three-way tie atop the MVAC leader board with no way of breaking the tie, unless a team loses to a lower ranked team during the remainder of the season. If Ashe can beat Wilkes Central, but then lose to Surry Central, then Surry Central will be first, providing they have only lost one match.

The final week of play in the regular season, September 29 thru October 2 will tell all. The Huskies face Wilkes Central, at home, on September 30, and then hit the road for an away match at Surry Central on Thursday, October 2 for the final match of the regular season against Surry Central.

Prior to the two vital matches, the Huskies will have one match, home against Forbush this evening, starting at 4:30 p.m.