Pirates Defeat Rivals In Key League Matches

By GANNON HANEVOLD

Moapa Valley Progress

It was a crucial week for the Moapa Valley High School Volleyball team. Last week, the Pirates faced off against their two fiercest rivals: Virgin Valley and Boulder City. Not only is there a rivalry-driven history between these teams, but the three are on pace to finish in the top three spots at the end of the year. For the Pirates, these games could change everything.

The first game of the week came on Monday, Sept. 26, against the Bulldogs at home. Moapa started off strong. The Pirates scored the first seven points of the opening set, leading to a Bulldog timeout.
The stoppage in play didn’t slow down Moapa’s momentum. They rumbled forward for a 25-14 win.

In the second set, the Pirate dominance continued. The team won once again 25-13.
In the third set, the Pirates struggled early, and Virgin Valley opened up a lead. But the Moapa team came together and the set came down to the wire.
Trailing 22-23, the Pirates finished with three consecutive points. The 25-23 win locked up the 3-0 sweep of their rivals.

In the second game of the week, held on Wednesday, the Pirates traveled to Boulder City for a battle of undefeated.
In the first set, the two teams battled back and forth, with Moapa Valley holding a consistent lead throughout. At the end of the set, the Pirates were ultimately on top 25-21.
In the second set, the Pirates took over control of the court. According to Coach Mandie Matheson, her team “took fire”. They won 25-10.
In the third set, going for their sixth consecutive set win on the week, the Pirates were denied by the tough Eagles. Boulder City led by eight at one point. But the Pirates came back, and fell short by just two, 25-23.

In the fourth set, the Eagles were determined to stay alive. In another back and forth set, Moapa finished on top, 26-24, sealing their second rivalry win of the week.
“Both wins were fueled by strong serving and the team defense working as a unit,” Matheson said.

Matheson praised various other qualities her team displayed. “Our blockers did a good job putting hands in the hitter’s way which took an area of the court for our diggers to not have to worry about,” she said.
Looking forward, Matheson said there is still plenty of improvement to be shown. “We must continue to show improvement on serving and passing,” she said. “The girls must continue to work hard on trusting each of their teammates on the court in practice and in games.”

The Pirates have now taken sole control of first place in the league standings. But Matheson says the team members knows they still have room to grow.
“While we are pleased with the wins, we have watched film and pinpointed several areas where we would like to improve,” she said.