The Pahrump Valley High School varsity girls volleyball team continued its challenging early-season schedule Tuesday, Aug. 18, taking on 5A Liberty in a matchup that gave the Trojans another opportunity to test themselves against high-level competition.
Although Pahrump ultimately fell in straight sets, 25-9, 25-21 and 26-24, the final scores told the story of a team that grew increasingly competitive as the match progressed. After a difficult opening set, the Trojans responded with a much tighter second set before pushing Liberty beyond the regulation 25-point mark in a back-and-forth third set that came down to the final few rallies.
Pahrump started the match on a positive note behind sophomore Henna Leigh Maiava, who opened at the service line and immediately delivered an ace. Liberty was unable to handle her next serve, giving the Trojans an early 2-0 advantage.
The two teams traded points through the opening portion of the set. Senior Xe’ane Kamanu and sophomore Olivia Veloz took turns at the service line, while freshman Mahina Decambra entered to serve and helped Pahrump pull even at 6-6 when Liberty sent an attack long.
Senior Riley Saldaña added an aggressive attack that Liberty managed to receive but could not return, tying the set again at 7.
Liberty began to establish some separation from there, but Pahrump continued looking for opportunities offensively. Kamanu put down a strong attack to end one rally and give the Trojans their eighth point, and Maiava followed shortly afterward with a short set to Veloz, who finished the play at the net.
The 5A Patriots ultimately controlled the latter portion of the set and took the opener 25-9, but Pahrump came back onto the court for the second set with a much stronger response.
Saldaña quickly became one of the Trojans’ offensive weapons, scoring on multiple hard attacks, including swings from behind the attack line. As Pahrump settled into the set, its front row also began creating problems for Liberty.
Kamanu and Veloz contributed at the net, with a Pahrump block helping keep the Trojans within striking distance. Kamanu later attacked into the Liberty block and sent the deflection out of bounds for another Pahrump point.
Veloz followed with a well-timed block that dropped directly onto Liberty’s side of the court, pulling Pahrump within one at 10-9. An attack sent out by Liberty then tied the set at 10.
Pahrump continued matching Liberty point for point. After the Patriots briefly regained the advantage, Kamanu stepped to the service line and delivered consecutive aces, erasing the deficit and tying the score at 13-13.
Saldaña answered another Liberty point with a kill to make it 14-14, and a Liberty attack out of bounds put Pahrump in front 15-14.
The Trojans continued fighting through the middle of the set. Junior Miani Freitas-Faamai delivered a hard attack, while junior McKinsey Nottingham found open space with a well-placed tip over the Liberty defense. Pahrump also generated another service ace as the Trojans built an 18-15 advantage.
Liberty worked its way back, however, eventually tying the set at 18 and again at 19. The teams remained separated by only a point or two late in the set, with Kamanu putting down another attack to bring Pahrump within 22-21.
The Patriots managed to claim the final three points and take the second set 25-21, but the Trojans had shown a significant turnaround from the opener and carried that momentum into their best set of the night.
Pahrump came out aggressively in the third and quickly built an early advantage.
Maiava set Kamanu for an attack that gave Pahrump a 2-1 lead, and a Liberty attack into the net added another point. Maiava and Veloz then connected on a short set and attack at the net before Kamanu delivered an ace.
The Trojans continued rolling. Saldaña hammered an attack for another point, stretching Pahrump’s advantage to 7-1 and forcing Liberty to play from behind.
The Patriots began cutting into the lead, but Pahrump continued finding answers. Saldaña scored again to make it 9-7, and Nottingham followed with a strong attack that pushed the Trojans into double digits.
With the score tied at 10, Liberty hit into the net to put Pahrump back in front. Junior Sedona Norton then took over at the service line, and Kamanu capitalized with another successful attack for a 12-10 advantage.
One of Pahrump’s strongest offensive combinations of the night followed when Maiava controlled the ball and delivered it to Kamanu, who finished the play with a spike for a 13-11 lead. Maiava then added an ace of her own, extending the advantage to three.
Liberty eventually fought its way back into the set, setting up a tense finish as neither team was able to pull comfortably ahead.
Veloz played a key role in another Pahrump rally late in the set. With the Trojans trailing, she served as Liberty committed a net violation, bringing Pahrump within one. Veloz followed with an ace to tie the score at 19-19.
Saldaña then attacked off the top of the net and the ball continued through for the point, tying the set again at 20.
The teams remained locked together as the match moved into its final stretch. Maiava used a tip to even the score at 22, and Norton followed with a clutch ace that gave Pahrump a 23-22 lead and prompted Liberty to call timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, sophomore Alyvia Morin made a strong dig to keep a difficult ball alive. Liberty eventually won the extended rally, tying the score at 23.
The Patriots moved ahead 24-23, but Pahrump refused to let the match end there. Kamanu answered with a tip that Liberty blocked out of bounds, tying the set at 24 and forcing extra points.
Maiava went to the service line with the score even and then turned in a strong defensive sequence, recording two digs against hard Liberty attacks to repeatedly keep the rally alive. The Patriots eventually found the floor to move ahead 25-24.
On match point, Liberty attempted a tip near the net and Veloz dove in an effort to keep the ball off the floor, but the Patriots secured the final point and escaped the tightly contested set with a 26-24 victory.
While the match ended in a three-set loss, Pahrump’s progression throughout the night provided plenty of positives against its 5A opponent. The Trojans went from a 16-point deficit in the opening set to staying within four points in the second and then putting themselves in position to win the third.
The final set in particular showcased a more balanced Pahrump attack, with contributions coming from throughout the lineup. Kamanu provided repeated attacks and strong serving, Saldaña delivered several powerful swings, Veloz contributed both offensively and at the net, and Maiava helped direct the offense while also making an impact from the service line and defensively. Nottingham added attacks and a well-placed tip, while Norton provided a late ace and Morin contributed a key defensive save during the tightly contested finish.
Facing another larger-school opponent early in the season, the Trojans continued gaining valuable experience while demonstrating their ability to make adjustments within a match. Their response after the opening set — and particularly their 23-22 lead late in the third — gave Pahrump a competitive finish to build upon as the season continues.
