The Pahrump Valley High School girls’ junior varsity volleyball team opened its home match against The Meadows with a strong first-set victory before the Mustangs rallied to earn a three-set win Tuesday, Sept. 22.
The Trojans captured the opening set 25-21, while The Meadows answered with a 25-9 victory in the second. The Mustangs then won the deciding set 15-6.
Pahrump fell behind 2-0 at the beginning of the match, but Emri Wulfenstein quickly changed the momentum from the service line. Wulfenstein delivered several aces and helped the Trojans score six consecutive points to build a 6-2 advantage.
The Meadows gradually worked its way back, tying the set at 9-9. Raenalynn Domingo responded with a tip over the net to return the lead to Pahrump, while Marely Gomez followed with a serve that the Mustangs sent out of bounds.
The teams continued trading points through the middle of the set. Abigail Sutton placed a tip over the net for a 13-11 lead, and Emerlynn Roscoe later drove a spike toward the back line to even the score at 14-14.
With the set tied again at 17, Pahrump put together another important run. Gomez served as the Trojans moved ahead, while Wulfenstein contributed a block and a kill. Domingo then blocked an attack back onto The Meadows’ side of the net, extending the lead to 21-17.
The Mustangs closed the gap to one point at 22-21, but Wulfenstein stopped the rally with another kill. Ariana Apolinar took over at the service line with Pahrump holding set point and finished the 25-21 victory with an ace.
The Meadows established an early lead in the second set, but the Trojans continued looking for opportunities to answer. Daisy Skougard helped Pahrump earn points from the service line, and Sutton placed another tip onto the floor before adding a serve that the Mustangs could not return.
Roscoe found the inside of the back line with a spike later in the set, while Wulfenstein added a kill during the closing stretch. The Mustangs maintained their advantage, however, and took the second set 25-9 to force a deciding third set.
The Meadows scored the first five points of the final set before Pahrump began cutting into the deficit. Apolinar delivered an ace, and Kyrstin Whimple followed with a tip over the net as the Trojans pulled within 5-3.
Whimple added another tip later in the set, and Pahrump continued competing through the final point. The Mustangs ultimately closed out the set 15-6 and secured the match, but the Trojans’ opening-set performance demonstrated their ability to build momentum with aggressive serving, timely attacks and coordinated play at the net.
*These photos and more are available at pvcnphotos.com.
