By MYRNA FOSTER
Moapa Valley Progress
The Moapa Valley High School Girls’ Soccer teams played the first league games on September 15 at the school’s new soccer field. The game was against SECTA High School from Las Vegas.
According to Coach Lisa Cornwall, SECTA usually has some of the best teams in the league.
The Junior Varsity team lost its game 13-0. The Pirate players looked like they were going to hold their own for the first little bit, but then SECTA started scoring.
Varsity had the opposite problem.
“I was a little disappointed in the first half,” Cornwall said.
But she said the team played much better in the second half.
During the second half, Alexis Shraft used a front handspring throw-in to drive the ball into the goal area. SECTA’s reaction drew a penalty, and Makayla Jackson scored a goal with the penalty kick. SECTA beat Moapa 10-1.
Cornwall said that the team loves playing it’s game up at the high school. In the past, soccer games have been played at the Mack Lyon Middle School field. The new field is, of course, an adjustment, but they wouldn’t trade it, Cornwall said.
The Lady Pirates competed at Sunrise Mountain High School on Wednesday with better results.
Coach Dione Jackson said, “JV played really well. They played like a team. It was awesome to watch them transition from practice to a game and show that they can pass the ball to each other.”
Freshman Mariah Mendoza scored a goal for the pirates, and as goalie, Xochitl Frias had her first shutout. The Moapa JV team beat Sunrise Mountain 1-0.
The Pirate Varsity squad lost their game 3-1. Two of the players had been injured in the game against SECTA and were unable to play, Cornwall explained. In addition there were a couple of others who didn’t feel well.
Makayla Jackson scored the team’s only goal on another penalty shot.
“I know we have a lot of talent,” Cornwall said. “We just need to bring it together as a team.”