The Pahrump Valley High School girls’ soccer program capped off a memorable regular season on Wednesday, October 23, with both the JV and varsity teams securing wins against Mater East. Senior night festivities added to the celebration as the teams honored their seniors and prepared for the upcoming regional playoffs.
The JV team ended their season in spectacular fashion, securing a 6-0 shutout victory. Rosie Miller led the team with a hat trick, while Justess Maxwell, Keira Grauel, and Cindal Monahan added to the scoreboard, with Monhan converting a penalty kick from 25 yards out.
Head Coach Amy Carlson commended the JV players for their growth throughout the season, saying, “The entire team played well, communicated, and controlled the ball. They put their months of practice and dedication on display for their last game. The JV girls have worked really hard, and all of them have improved so much. We hope to have all of them return next year!”
The varsity team followed with a 4-1 victory over Mater East, giving the Trojans momentum heading into regionals. The match opened with an aggressive offensive push from the Trojans, but despite multiple shots on goal in the first 20 minutes, they couldn’t find the net. A big save from goalkeeper Mendenhall at the 14:36 mark kept the game scoreless.
Ryleigh Denton finally put the Trojans on the board with 13 minutes left in the first half, giving PVHS a 1-0 lead. Mater East responded early in the second half, tying the game at 1-1 with 38 minutes remaining.
The Trojans regained control just two minutes later when Sydney Crotty scored, making it 2-1. Denton added her second goal at the 24:47 mark, extending the lead to 3-1. In the final minutes, Denton’s shot was blocked by the Mater East goalkeeper, but Crotty capitalized on the rebound to secure the 4-1 win.
“It was much closer than we would have liked, but the girls got it done,” said Coach Carlson. “The girls did a great job moving the ball around the field and not giving up. We just need to work the ball up the field more, rather than around the field.”
Carlson highlighted the importance of this victory as the team heads into regionals next week. “We took close to 20 shots, but we needed them to be a little closer to the frame,” she added. “Going into regionals, we’ll still be down one starter, but we’ll gain Natalia Vallin back to the lineup, which will be huge for our offense.”
Looking ahead to the regional playoffs, Carlson emphasized the need for the team to simplify their play. “We head to Mesquite on Monday for round one. The girls just need to focus on one game at a time and play more simple. We tend to overwork ourselves every game,” she explained. “They have the power and footwork to play simple and make powerful shots—they just get in their own way. The girls know what they need to do next week, and they are using their two days off school to put in the work and lock in, as they would say.”
With a strong finish to the season and a celebration of their seniors, the Trojans are ready to carry this momentum into the playoffs.
Senior Night
*A special thank you to Michael Bond for some of the photos.
