MVHS Girls Defeat Sunrise Mtn.

By Dave Belcher

Moapa Valley Progress

The MVHS girls’ basketball season began last week and the Lady Pirates have a whole different look this year. The team’s height is gone, but the quickness is there. On Thursday, December 1, that quickness helped Moapa to a 44-36 win against the Sunrise Mountain Miners.

The Pirate press, the team had only spent a couple days in practice working on, was key to the victory, Head Coach Swanson said.

The Pirates took the tip and opened their season with a three pointer by Chanel Lacroix. Then on the very next possession, Ashley Noto hit a three to give Moapa a 6-3 lead in the opening.

Noto then got an offensive rebound and put it back for a Moapa 8-5 lead.

Sunrise Mountain then ran off six straight points before Noto scored on a layup for her seventh point in her 1st quarter total.

The Miners were up 11-10 when freshman Emily Mills hit a jumper from the right corner for a 12-11 first quarter lead with 2.2 seconds left to go in the quarter.

Noto made the next seven points for the Pirates including a three to give the Pirates a 19-17. Noto had all points in the quarter for Moapa who took a 20-19 lead at the half.

The third quarter saw a Moapa press. This helped the Pirates open up a ten point lead when Noto scored on a layup with 2:28 left in the 3rd. Breanna Harding and Hanna Leavitt each had a three pointer in the quarter.

The Pirates were 6-16 from three point land on the night.

Moapa began the 4th with a 35-27 lead. Hanna Leavitt started the quarter with a ten foot jumper and the Pirates had their largest lead of the game.

Then their weakness came to life with six straight missed Moapa free throws.

The Pirates didn’t score again until Harding made one of three free throws a result of being fouled shooting a three pointer.

Lacroix hit a three with 1:50 left in the game as Sunrise Mountain couldn’t come back. Moapa’s final point came from Hanna Leavitt’s free throw for the final score of 44-36.

The Pirates struggled at the free throw line as they shot 4 of 19 from the stripe. Actually, they shot better from the three point line than the foul line.

Noto had 19 points to lead the Pirates in scoring. Hanna Leavitt had 7, Harding and Lacroix each had 6 with Paige Leavitt scoring and Emily Mills 2.