The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans girls’ soccer team faced off against Equipo Academy Yeti at home on Thursday, August 28, in what proved to be a physical and challenging match. Despite a strong first half and determined play, the Trojans fell 1-5 by the final whistle.
The opening minutes set the tone with back-and-forth opportunities. Natalia Vallin, Natalie Soto, and Sydney Crotty pushed the ball up the field, each creating chances that tested Equipo’s defense. At 30 minutes, Vallin drew a penalty but narrowly missed on the kick. Keeper Jazmyn Herrera worked hard in the net, making multiple key saves, including a diving stop at the 23-minute mark and several deflections throughout the half.
Equipo struck first in the 17th minute, but the Trojans responded quickly. At 13:30, following a penalty on Mary Miller, Soto stepped up to take the free kick near midfield. The ball bounced its way into play, and the Trojans capitalized to even the score at 1-1. With renewed energy, the Trojans pressed forward, forcing saves from the Yeti keeper on shots from Crotty and Vallin. The halftime score remained tied, giving the Trojans momentum.
Head Coach Amy Carlson praised her team’s resilience in the first half. “It started off well. Letting that goal in kind of defeated them a little bit, but they picked it up. Going into half 1-1 was good. They were confident and playing tough, like we finished against Boulder City,” she said.
In the second half, Equipo Academy found their rhythm and broke through with a series of goals. Despite Herrera’s continued hustle in goal and defensive stops by Sarah Brown-Collins, the Yeti capitalized on open opportunities to extend their lead. Carlson noted that it wasn’t a matter of being outplayed, but rather mental lapses that created openings. “Once they scored that second goal, we just shut down. We gave it to them, and every goal after that—they didn’t earn those goals. They were great shots, but they should never have happened. We made mistakes and left too many open spots,” she explained.
The physical nature of the game was another challenge. Carlson acknowledged her young team is still adjusting. “We’ve been practicing physicality every day, but a lot of it comes down to confidence and drive. They’re definitely conditioned, but it’s the mental capacity that’s missing right now. They’re playing reactive versus proactive, giving too much space, and that’s costing us,” she said.
Even so, there were bright spots. Captains Vallin and Soto continued to step up as leaders, motivating teammates to keep fighting. “Natalia gave a great point to the team, saying maybe we need to go through these losses to find our passion,” Carlson shared. She also highlighted Herrera’s composure as a young goalkeeper, crediting her for staying positive and communicating well throughout the game.
Looking forward, Carlson believes the team’s growth hinges on their mindset. “It’s all mental right now. We’ve put everything out there, and it’s up to them to decide to show up. Every opponent has given us a little bit, but at the end of the day, the score comes down to our own mistakes. The captains are stepping up, and we’ll keep working, but the rest is up to them.”
Though the final score was not what the Trojans had hoped for, the game showed glimpses of their potential. With strong leadership, valuable lessons, and a full season ahead, the young team is determined to find their stride and turn their hard work into future victories.
