Bulldogs host Pirates in first rivalry match of 2021

By BOB SNELL

The Progress

After waiting almost a year-and-a-half to play volleyball again, Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley finally faced off against each other Monday night in Mesquite.

In the end, a strong service game and play at the net were the difference as the Lady Pirates swept the Lady Bulldogs, 3-0, at Virgin Valley High School.

Moapa Valley prevailed by scores of 25-21, 25-9 and 25-15 in the first match between the two rivals since October of 2019.

“We really didn’t play our best tonight, but it’s nice to get the win,” MVHS head coach Mandie Matheson said after the match. “Virgin Valley came out with some fire and played well.”

The first game was close with neither side able to gain control. With the score tied at 20-all, sophomore middle blocker Sydney Reese unleashed one of her 14 kills on the night and sophomore middle blocker Halie Evans blocked a Virgin Valley shot attempt at the net to put the Lady Pirates up 22-20. Senior Jessi Frei served out the final two points of the game.

The play of seniors Kynsli Peterson and Kalli Garrett, along with sophomore Riley Price, kept the Lady Bulldogs close until the final points.

“We got off to a shaky start,” Matheson said. “We finally settled down after the first game and started to play better.”

Leading 6-4 in the second game, senior Emilie Lyon served eight consecutive points, including three of her eight aces, to put Moapa Valley in command 14-4. The Lady Pirates closed out the game with kills from Emma Peay and Talley Blackwell.

Lyon had one more lengthy service run in the third and final game. Her floating serve that acts like a pitched knuckleball, accounted for seven straight points, punctuated by a thundering kill from Reese to put the Lady Pirates up 18-10. Price’s block at the net halted the streak, but it was too much for the Lady Bulldogs to overcome.

“Emilie has a good floater and she can pick her spots to throw the opposition off,” Matheson said. “She did a really good job for us.”

Garrett and Peterson had six kills each and Price had four blocks to lead the Lady Bulldogs.

“We’re learning, but we have a plan to get better and we’re going to stick to it,” Virgin Valley coach Lori Barnum said. “These girls aren’t used to playing with expectations and they need to learn to be accountable. We’ll just keep working.”