The Pahrump Valley High School girls’ soccer team faced a tough battle on Wednesday, September 25, against SLAM Academy in Las Vegas, resulting in a 3-3 tie for the varsity squad. Despite the hard-fought draw, Head Coach Amy Carlson praised her team’s performance and resilience throughout the game.
“Not the outcome we wanted, but the girls played really well,” Coach Carlson said. “We had some unlucky calls and made a few costly errors, but the girls controlled the field and had possession for the majority of the game. They’ve come a long way already this season, and we have so many more games to go.”
Natalia Vallin was a standout for the Trojans, scoring two of the team’s goals. Her first goal was on a header while her second goal came from a powerful shot to the opposite corner of the net. Khylar Park added the third goal with an impressive penalty kick from the 30-yard line. Natalie Soto, despite battling an injury, was instrumental in moving the ball and keeping the attack alive while she was in the game. Valery Romero also stepped up, contributing significantly on both offense and defense, filling in gaps created by injuries.
Madison Williamson’s stellar performance in goal was another highlight, making 9 crucial saves to keep the Trojans in the match. “Madison had some amazing saves that really kept us in the game,” Carlson said.
The junior varsity (JV) squad also finished in a tie, ending their game 0-0. Though they couldn’t find the back of the net, they put forth a solid defensive effort, with 15 steals and 8 shots taken on goal. “They just couldn’t capitalize in the box, but they held their opponent to no score, so that was a positive,” Carlson noted. “They continue to grow each week and always cheer each other on.”
Both teams left the field proud of their efforts, showing improvement with each game as they look forward to the rest of the season.
*A special thanks to Amber Crotty for the photos.
