The Pahrump Valley High School girls’ B volleyball team challenged Virgin Valley throughout two competitive sets at home Thursday, Sept. 3, before the Bulldogs secured a 25-20, 25-23 victory.
Pahrump kept pace with Virgin Valley during the opening portion of the first set. Aurora Eyraud answered an early Bulldog tip with one of her own to tie the score at 1-1, and Shemayne Bosket followed by directing the ball over the net for a 2-1 advantage.
The teams continued trading points, reaching ties at 3-3 and 4-4. After Virgin Valley moved ahead, the Trojans remained within striking distance. A Bulldog violation helped Pahrump close the gap before Kelsey Haase stepped to the service line and delivered a ball Virgin Valley could not return, putting the Trojans in front 9-8.
Virgin Valley responded with a lengthy service run, using several aces and difficult serves to build a 15-9 lead. Lyra Tointigh ended the run with a well-placed tip, and the Bulldogs were unable to return Hera Moorehead’s ensuing serve as Pahrump pulled within four points.
The Bulldogs eventually extended their advantage to 24-15, but the Trojans refused to concede the set. Bosket recognized a ball played too close to the net and tipped it into an open space on Virgin Valley’s court. Eyraud followed with a kill and then recorded an ace as Pahrump began cutting into the deficit.
The Trojans added another point before Victoria Glover delivered a kill to make it 24-19. Audaseli Pinder was ready for a hard Virgin Valley attack on the following rally, helping Pahrump keep the ball alive before the Bulldogs failed to return it. The five-point run brought the Trojans within 24-20, but a service error ended the set.
Pahrump carried that late momentum into the second set. Tointigh opened with three consecutive aces, giving the Trojans an immediate 3-0 lead. Two Virgin Valley attacking errors then extended the advantage to 5-0.
The Bulldogs gradually worked their way back into the set, but Pahrump continued finding ways to score. A flat return caught Virgin Valley off guard for an 8-6 lead, and another serve went unreturned on the next point. Consecutive Bulldog attacks sailed long as the Trojans stretched their lead to 11-6.
Virgin Valley narrowed the margin to one at 13-12, but Pahrump held onto the lead through the middle of the set. The Trojans capitalized on attacking errors and trouble at the net to move ahead 17-13 and later carried a 20-17 advantage into the closing portion.
After the Bulldogs tied the score at 20-20, Pahrump regained the lead when a long rally ended with a Virgin Valley attack traveling beyond the back line. A Bulldog service error later gave the Trojans a 22-21 advantage, and Haase followed from the service line as another Virgin Valley attack went too deep, moving Pahrump within two points of the set at 23-21.
Virgin Valley answered with the final four points, however, overcoming the late deficit to take the set 25-23 and complete the match.
Although the Trojans came up short, their late rally in the opening set and extended lead in the second gave the young team valuable experience in handling pressure and competing through closely contested points.
*These photos and more are available at pvcnphotos.com.
